Rehabilitation Psychologist - Roles and Career Prospects

Rehabilitation psychologists support people with troubled background to reorganize their lives and lead a positive, healthy and meaningful life. Psychology is a diverse field and involves studying theories and doing extensive research. As the research brings out hidden truth to the fore the information is further added to the body of knowledge and is made use of while dealing with a particular type of patient. A career in rehabilitation includes getting associated with communities and organization, diagnosing and treating people. They also work independently or team up with professionals from varied fields such as, engineers, school personnel, managers, policy makers, lawyers, scientists and physicians. Thus they contribute to every sphere of the society. Many rehabilitation psychologists job responsibilities make them to work in corporate offices, schools and universities, court rooms, laboratories, prisons, hospitals and community health care centers.

There are varied field of specialization one can specialize in. The graduates can join an acute care hospital and treat patients with problems like, depression, anxiety, pain and other health concerns. They may also choose to serve at physical therapy centers, long term rehabilitation centers etc.

The salaries for rehabilitation psychologists range from $45,000 to $100,000 as per individual experience, expertise and knowledge. Rehabilitation psychology as a career has many more opportunities today as compared to past. Greater life expectancy and effects of aging have resulted in incidences of disability, injury, pain and other chronic illness. According to Disabled in Action, New York based advocacy groups nearly 20% of Americans are disabled and more than 10.7 million of them have conditions severe enough to be need of help with their daily chores and day to day living. Situations such as these have led to an increase in the demand for good rehabilitation psychologists. In the meanwhile the field itself is growing fast and has opportunities galore for the ones specialized with doctoral degree in rehabilitation psychology.   

5 Important Factors of Alcohol Addiction Rehab Process

Alcohol addiction makes a person physically and psychologically weak and miserable. In the long run it not only harms the victim’s life but his family’s future as well. It’s better to take the corrective measures and get back on track to a normal life. There are different alcohol rehabilitation centers and programs one can go for depending on the severity of addiction. The following is a list of 5 factors that are the most important in order to get rid of alcohol addiction.

• First be committed to stop drinking. Set yourself a goal and prepare for this change.
• The primary consideration for the one seeking alcohol rehabilitation is whether to go for inpatient or outpatient program. Some rehabilitation centers offer gender and age specific service as well.
• Some patients can stop and control their addictions on their own while others need medical support. When a person drinks heavily, his body becomes dependent on alcohol and goes through withdrawal if you suddenly stop consuming alcohol. The alcohol withdrawal symptoms include headache, sweating, anxiety and restlessness, nausea or vomiting, high blood pressure and increased heart rate. These symptoms start showing within hours and these may be mild or severe or even life threatening.
• Develop new interests and activities, build your support network, have a social life and give a new meaning to your life. There should be no place for alcohol in your life. You should also start activities like exercising, meditation and yoga to distress yourself. Rehabilitation centers will help you in finding such activities.
• Take your alcohol addiction rehabilitation therapies and programs seriously. Initially, you will feel the craving for alcohol but it’s up to you to decide what you want get out of your life. Medical treatment would differ as per individual problem and severity of condition.

Alcohol addiction can ruin a person’s life, relationships, career, health and well being. Recovering from addiction is not easy process but if you are determined enough you will find a way. The steps for alcohol rehabilitation will differ from patient to patient depending on age, gender, alcohol abuse history and other medical conditions. The treatment program varies from weeks to months and as long as it takes to recuperate. So, choose the best program that suits your condition, add new meaning to your life and change for the better.  

Giving Up Alcohol: The Risks and After-Effects

When a person stops taking alcohol after being a habitual drinker for a much longer duration, he experiences certain health related issues commonly known as alcohol withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms may be mild as well as severe depending on the duration of alcoholism, quality of alcohol consumed and the general health of the alcoholic. The symptoms occur as the body becomes addicted to alcohol, so when alcohol is not present in the blood, the system does not function properly.

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

The severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms depends upon the duration for which the person has been consuming alcohol. This situation is also called alcohol withdrawal syndrome and includes:

•     Headache
•     Fever
•     Hallucination
•     Fear
•     Gastrointestinal upset
•     Depression
•     De-realization
•     Depression
•     Confusion
•     Catatonia
•     Anxiety
•     Anorexia
•     Weakness
•     Tachycardia
•     Tremors
•     Sweating
•     Palpitations
•     Migraines
•     Irritability
•     Insomnia
•     Hyperthermia
•     Seizures
•     Euphoria
•     Agitation
•     Delirium tremens
•     Blackouts
•     Death

What happens in the Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome?

When a person has excessive alcohol for a prolonged period of time, his body becomes physically dependent on the alcohol. In such situation, without the presence of alcohol in the blood, the body system cannot function normally leading to the withdrawal syndrome. During this state the central nervous system goes in a hyper-excitable state which can be fatal at times. The person may have delirium tremens and seizures which may lead to excite-neurotoxicity.

Risk involved in the Withdrawal Syndrome

Longer the duration of alcohol addiction longer will be the duration of alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Some withdrawal symptoms can be very dangerous and may lead to seizure, strokes and even death. These symptoms are seen in those patients who have been habitual drinkers for a very long period of time. These patients are at a high risk and must get treated from a good rehabilitation center. A good rehabilitation center will have all the advanced treatments that will heal the patient from this stage of alcoholism.

Such high risk withdrawal symptoms includes

    Hallucination
    Strokes
    Heart attack
    Grand mal seizures
    Delirium tremens


Alternative Alcohol Rehab Treatment

Alcohol rehabilitation is usually a 12 step rehabilitation program but some people do not react well to this traditional method treatment. For them here are some alternative alcohol rehab treatments.

•     Outpatient Treatment

Some alcoholics do not get healed completely when they are admitted in the hospital and they go through the traditional way of treatment. It could be because they cannot adapt to the hospital’s atmosphere and therefore cannot react properly to the treatment. For them outpatient classes are a great way to get healed. Support of family and friends in this outpatient class helps them a lot.

•     Religious Based Treatment Program

Some treatment programs are based on religious grounds. People who have immense faith in their religion can enter into such treatment programs. Such programs include a counselor and the priest of the respective religion.

•     Therapy Classes

Some people can not work in a group so that they can attain therapy or counseling classes where they will be treated on one on by the therapist. There will also be a dietician who will prescribe special diet to suit the patient's health.

Apart from all the advanced treatment, a patient must have dedication and will power to stop drinking alcohol and move towards a better and healthy life.

Stroke Rehabilitation Therapies and Techniques

After stroke rehabilitation, the prime concern of a patient is to get back to his feet and do the daily activities like he/she had been doing before the stroke. Stroke affects certain parts of the brain due to which a patient loses much of his motor skills and has to re-learn them again to improve the quality of his life.

Rehabilitation from the stroke can begin as soon as a patient stabilizes. Doctors assure that there is no possibility of re-occurrence of any further stroke and only after this they prescribe the rehab therapy. The rehabilitation after stroke includes some basic steps which are as follows:

• Communication disorder therapy- This is the basic therapy given in every kind of stroke rehabilitation. In this therapy the person is taught to re-learn basic skills like reading, writing, speaking, listening and comprehension.

• Mobility training- This includes teaching the patient to walk with the help of a walking aid like cane or a walker. Initially these aids are used so that the patient can stabilize and learn how to balance his own body weight. In the later part of the therapy the patient is taught how to walk without the use of these aids.

• Co-ordination and strengthening motor skills- In this, the patient is taught to co-ordinate his movement of hands and legs. Special exercises are also included in the program so that the muscles strengthen and can facilitate co-ordination.

• Motion therapy- Motion therapy accompanies the above therapy. This therapy includes exercises and other treatments which reduces muscle tensions and helps in easy movement of arms and legs.

• Psychological evaluation- This includes evaluation of patient's present psychological condition. Mental health professionals participate in the evaluation and based on the patient's mental state, designs programs that will help in fast and better recovery. Group counseling and medicines are also prescribed if required.

• Robotic technology- This is the latest technique used in the rehab therapy where robotic devises are used to strengthen weak muscles, by performing repetitive motions.

Most of the leading stroke rehab centers have all these facilities that help patient recover from serious strokes. The family of the patient should realize the importance of stroke rehab and support him along the way, since family support fastens the pace of recovery.

Strengthening the Knees

In various medical conditions that involve knee treatment and keen surgery, physiotherapist recommend knee rehabilitation after the treatment. Rehabilitation is recommended to increase the strength of the knee as it was during normal condition. There are various knee exercising machines available in the market. But, these machines are very expensive. But, if you do not want to buy those expensive exercising gadgets, then you can practice some easy-to-do knee exercises. We have listed below some exercises for knee rehabilitation that you can do at home. It will not only improve the condition of your knee but will also be easy on your pocket.

Passive Motion of Knee Stretching

In certain knee conditions, it is advised to start from the basic level of exercise and then gradually increase the intensity of the knee exercise. The patient must sit straight and keep both his legs stretched in the front direction. Then gradually stretch his legs apart from each other in a position where he / she can form the alphabet A. If the patient experiences pain while doing so, then he has to do it gradually and after the exercise massage both the knee muscles gradually with both the hands. It is advised not to strain too much in doing soothe exercise. Do this exercise for 2 to 3 minutes and then increase the time limit to 5 or 10 minutes after a few days. It is advisable to do these knee rehab exercises after consultation with your therapist.

Stretch Knees while Crossing the Legs

Stand up in a position where one leg will cross another leg. For example if your right leg is behind the left leg, then hold your waist with your hands and gradually bend towards your left. Stay in that position for some time and then repeat the exercise towards your right side.

Exercise with the Help of Football Size Ball

This type of exercise will benefit patients who suffer from patellofemoral tracking problems. The patient is required to lie down on a flat surface and place a football sized soft ball under one knee at a time. Let the entire leg rest on the ball and then gradually move the entire leg in clock wise and anti clock wise direction at least ten times. Repeat the same exercise with the other leg.

Knee Exercise with a Small Table

Take a small table (approx. height from the floor must be 15 cm.) and place one leg over the table. Then slowly stand on the table with the support of one leg which has been previously placed on the table. Keep the other leg free. This will increase the strength of knee and the knee muscles. Repeat the same exercise with the other leg.

Knee rehabilitation is a must after any kind of knee surgery or knee injury. The type of knee exercise you do depends upon the type of treatment that has been done on the knee. It is always suggested to take doctor’s advice in doing any sort of knee exercise. One may feel pain when you start with the knee exercises initially but slowly will get accustomed to the exercise schedules. The duration of knee rehabilitation will depend upon the type of injury or operation that your knee has gone through. One must have patience and dedication to get back the normal knee strength.

An Overview of Rehabilitation Psychology Job

The study of different application that is aimed in reducing the effect of disabling and handicapped conditions is termed as rehabilitation psychology. The aim of rehabilitation psychology is to help people cope up with such situation of mental & physical disability and to lead a normal life like other normal human beings. Here is a brief summary of a Psychiatric Rehabilitation Job

Cognitive behavioral interventions

The role of a psychiatric is to endure the suffering of a mentally ill patient. They help in making patients realize their illness and therefore develop such treatment programs that will help them cope up with their disability. The psychiatric appoints therapists work on the symptoms of the patient and encourage them to deal with the situation.

Family intervention

Mental illness is to a much extent due to genetic factors. This is the reason why family intervention is a part of the treatment. The patient is not treated alone but with the help of family support as it puts a deep impact on the success of the treatment.

Skill training

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Job aims in training the patient to do daily activities in a more skilled manner. Dealing with the house work, maintaining personal hygiene, managing money and many other things are trained to help the disabled.

Cognitive remediation

Cognitive remediation aims in providing remedy to memory problem and other issues that arise with the mental illness. It also helps the patient improve the information grasping and processing process so that it is easy for him to do the daily work.
The basics of a Rehabilitation Psychology job is to help mentally challenged people lead a better life. It makes such people independent and do the daily activities without being dependent on others.

Types of Juvenile Rehabilitation

When a minor, below the age of 18, commits a crime, then he / she is referred to as a juvenile offender and is sent to juvenile rehab. What these minor offenders undergo in these camps cannot be called as punishment but as rehabilitation programs which are prescribed as per the juvenile rehabilitation procedures.

Drug treatment

One of the common juvenile crimes is drug offence or drug crimes. Such issues are administered in a separate court called the drug court. Here the offender has to undergo certain drug tests, alcohol meetings and attend drug rehab program as sentenced by the court.

Vocational training

Apart from the basic education certain vocational training is given to the minor offenders which will help them find a source of earning. Carpentry, teaching and various other things are taught in these training programs.

Education program

A basic education program is given to the minor with the hope that they will opt for a better life rather than the life of crime. Education teaches them to live a life filled with positive outlook and be a part of the society. School and college level of education is also given.

Counseling

Counseling is a part of any rehab program. Children/teens have various physiological issues that are quite different from adults. There may be some underlying childhood problems which need to be sorted out. Family support is advised here and sometime family counseling may also be required.

Hate crime

This is a program where young people who have committed crime are taught to lead a life without crime through counseling. They are taught to hate crime and are continuously re-educated to follow this healthy path of life.

Criticism of juvenile boot camps

These juvenile rehabilitation boot camps face many criticisms from counselors. Counselors believe that boot camps do not provide a permanent solution in bringing change in the troubled teen’s behavior. After the child comes back home from these camps, parents have to keep an eye on the behavior of their child that if they are showing any more troubled symptoms.

Counselors also believe most parents neither guide nor allow their child in taking important decisions at an early age. Later when these children enter in teen age they are unable to take vital decisions as they have not done any practice before. Parents only expect the child to fulfill their expectations without realizing the facts mentioned above.