UPMC Mental Health hub

4 Your Health

No matter what stage of life you may find yourself in, mental health awareness should always be a part of the conversation. Experiencing change and uncertainty is something that many of us deal with throughout our lives, and carrying our emotions around with us isn’t always easy. Although deferring to a licensed professional is a great course of action, the simple knowledge that we are not alone in the struggles we face can be more valuable than we may realize. UPMC makes mental health a priority, and this hub has information on resources, real stories from real people, and commentary on the broader changes we all experience.

to get your health care back on schedule.

It’s time

Featured Stories

The idea of going back to work might energize some people, but some are going to be nervous and have anticipatory anxiety as these social demands in and around the workplace increase.

JAMES TEW, MD

Psychiatrist, UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital

When going to the hospital, it’s easy to take for granted the plenty of commonplace supplies at the ready. Matthew Rauker, Manager of Demand Planning and Analytics at UPMC, explains that disruptions in the supply chain are constantly shifting and it’s imperative to make sure that stock is appropriate and hospitals have the supply they need to perform their clinical tasks with the products that they need.

Find adult and pediatric providers and schedule appointments online.

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National Health Observances

A traumatic delivery or having had a baby taken to intensive care actually doubles the risks of having mental health issues in a future pregnancy. Difficulty bonding with a child is more than just a symptom of current peripartum depression — it can also be a risk factor for future issues.

PRIYA GOPALAN, MD

UPMC Magee and UPMC Western Behavioral Health

JUNE 2023

Care Close to Home

UPMC Hospital System

News and Media

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Men’s Health: Your Questions Answered

Visiting the doctor is not always a priority for men.

Today’s poison control is about more than just kids getting into the kitchen cabinets

In our modern digital age, emergency medical care is always with us.

Flip-flops are easy, comfortable, and potentially hazardous to your health

Summer is a season generally associated with fun.

Men’s Body Mass Index Chart & A Healthy Men’s BMI

An important part of a man’s overall health is maintaining a healthy body weight.

National Pride Month

PTSD Awareness Month

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Cooking Out This Summer? How to Make Your Burger Healthier

It’s that time of year. The sun is out, the grill is out, and those burgers are ready to be cooked to the perfect temperature.

At UPMC reliable supply is always in demand

We recognize and honor our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) brothers and sisters and raise awareness of health issues impacting their community.

Post-traumatic stress doesn’t just impact soldiers. Everyone who has ever experienced a traumatic event is affected — and everyone can get help.

With more than 92,000 employees, UPMC is the largest nongovernmental employer in Pennsylvania.

UPMC’s reach extends beyond America, also operating hospitals In China, Ireland, and Italy.

UPMC’s administrative headquarters are located in the U.S. Steel Tower in downtown Pittsburgh; the city’s tallest building.

UPMC’s reach extends beyond America, also operating hospitals In China, Ireland, and Italy.

The formation of UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh traces back to 1883, when an 11-year-old entrepreneur and his friends raised money for a single cot to be used for babies and children at a local hospital.

KNOW

Did you

Some fun facts about UPMC

January 2023

Glaucoma Awareness Month

More than 3 million people in the U.S. have glaucoma, the leading cause of permanent blindness.

February 2023

March 2023

April 2023

May 2023

July 2023

August 2023

Breastfeeding Month

Advocating for, promoting the practice of, and protecting the mother’s right to breastfeed her child.

Immunization Awareness Month

Boosting awareness of the importance of widespread vaccination and immunization for children and adults.

September 2023

October 2023

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Emphasizing screening for, treatment of, and recovery from this common but treatable condition that impacts hundreds of thousands of women each year.

Bullying Prevention Month

Shining a spotlight on the long-term dangers of bullying in our schools and among our children.

November 2023

December 2023

Cervical Health Awareness Month

Recognizing the more than 14,000 women in the U.S. diagnosed with cervical cancer each year.

Birth Defects Prevention Month

Raising awareness of efforts to not only prevent birth defects, but also to help people living with these conditions.

Children’s Dental Health Month

Sponsored by the American Dental Association, this event emphasizes the importance of oral health and hygiene in kids and young adults.

Prenatal Infection Prevention Month

Raising awareness of bacterial and viral infections that are passed from mother to baby during pregnancy or delivery.

American Heart Month

Focusing on cardiovascular health, including stroke and heart disease prevention, as well as awareness of high blood pressure.

Kidney Month

Working to reduce the impact of kidney disease and inform the public of the organ’s importance to our long-term and everyday health.

Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Emphasizing the importance of screening, prevention, and treatment of cancers and diseases of the colon and rectum.

Endometriosis Awareness Month

A chance to recognize a condition in which the endometrium tissue grows outside of the uterus. “Endo” impacts 200 million women worldwide.

Donate Life Month

An effort to encourage American adults to register as organ donors.

Minority Health Month

Highlighting the efforts in improving the lives and health of racial and ethnic minorities.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome Awareness Month

This chronic condition affects up to 15% of men and women in the U.S.

April 2023

Occupational Therapy Month

Honoring the people who working in the vital field of occupational therapy.

Autism Acceptance Month

A chance to recognize and get involved with the autistic community.

Child Abuse Prevention Month

Heightening awareness of child abuse and promoting community involvement and cooperation in preventing it.

Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month

Promoting overall bone health through screenings, prevention, and treatment of this bone-weakening disease.

Arthritis Awareness Month

Drawing attention to the 50 million Americans who have been diagnosed with the joint-impacting disorder, the No. 1 cause of disability in the U.S.

Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month

At the peak of allergy season, it’s vital to recognize the 65 million Americans impacted by one or both conditions.

Physical Fitness and Sports Month

Pushing people to get up, get out, and get active in pursuit of their physical and cardiovascular health through exercise and participation in sports.

May 2023

Preeclampsia Awareness Month:

Raising awareness of hypertensive disorders (rise in blood pressure) that can lead to maternal and infant death and complicate up to 10% of pregnancies worldwide.

Healthy Vision Month

Focusing on the importance of vision and overall eye health.

Mental Health Month

Underscoring the importance of mental health and raising awareness of the millions of Americans who live with mental and behavioral health issues every day.

Stroke Awareness Month:

Highlighting the high occurrence of stroke and emphasizing the need for and methods of rapid response in mitigating the impact of stroke.

Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month

Bringing attention to children who are impacted by arthritis and joint disorders.

Cleft and Craniofacial Awareness and Prevention Month

Raising awareness of the congenital conditions which impact speech, eating, hearing, and social development.

Cord Blood Awareness Month

Highlighting the benefits of cord blood, which is collected from the umbilical cord and placenta following a healthy childbirth.

Newborn Screening Awareness Month

Little known fact: Different states screen newborns for different diseases. This event works toward a more standardized set of tests to ensure babies’ health.

Sickle Cell Month

Raising awareness of a disease that exists silently in millions of people, but can impact children born of two parents who each carry the trait.

Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

Promoting healthy eating habits and exercise for kids of all ages to combat this serious and widespread condition.

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Bringing attention to pediatric cancer, which is the leading cause of death by disease for children under 14.

September 2023

World Alzheimer’s Month

A full month dedicated to dementia awareness and advocacy.

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month

Reminding men to get screened for this common but preventable and treatable form of cancer.

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

Brining attention to this relatively rare but deadly form of cancer in women.

October 2023

Physical Therapy Month

Celebrating the professionals who help us recover in body and spirit from illness and injury.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month

Highlighting ways to prevent this deadly condition.

Down Syndrome Awareness Month

Recognizing the 6,000 people born with this common chromosomal disorder each year and the families and communities that support them.

COPD Awareness Month

Raising awareness of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and emphasizing the importance of early detection in treatment and outcome.

Lung Cancer Awareness Month

Drawing attention to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. and second-leading cause of death overall.

American Diabetes Month

Encouraging people to find out if they are at risk for diabetes, while promoting prevention & treatment & highlighting the lives of those who live with & manage the increasingly common condition.

Hospice Palliative Care Month

Honoring the people who work in palliative and hospice care, bringing end-of-life comfort to people suffering from chronic illness.

Stomach Cancer Awareness Month

Building awareness of gastric cancer and its various symptoms, treatments, and outcomes.

November 2023

Safe Toys and Gifts Month

Ensuring the Holidays are safe for you and your family by underscoring the importance of safety when buying, assembling, and most importantly, playing with toys and gifts.

Behind every great hospital, there’s a steady supply chain

When we go to the hospital, whether it’s an emergency or just a routine visit, we understandably have a lot of things on our minds.

For people with asthma/COPD, summer air quality is no vacation

Warmer weather means we can get outside, catch our breath from the hustle of life, and enjoy the fresh air.

For student athletes, college presents unique mental health challenges

College is a demanding time for any student.

First on the Scene

A lot of kids grow up fascinated with emergency vehicles — the lights, the sirens, and the heroes that drive and ride them.

6 Tips For Healthier Summer Drinks

When the weather is hot, it’s tempting to entertain guests with a refreshing summer drink.

6 Tips For Healthier Summer Drinks

When the weather is hot, it’s tempting to entertain guests with a refreshing summer drink.

Sunscreen isn’t just for summer, guard against UV rays year-round

Sunburns aren’t just for summer. Sure, those are the months when we typically see the sunscreen displays pop up in the grocery store.

For Alan Martino, helping people in an emergency is in his blood. He is a third-generation firefighter. He is also a nurse, a preceptor, and American Heart Association instructor, who oversees emergency response and preparedness at UPMC Passavant. And when a call for urgent help goes out and no other units are available to respond, Martino jumps in his vehicle and rushes to the scene.

First on the scene

Doctors now see that perinatal mental health goes far beyond the old “baby blues”

When Priya Gopalan, MD, first entered the field of perinatal mental health more than a decade ago, much about the mental experience of pregnancy and childbirth was misunderstood — by parents and doctors alike.

For student athletes, college presents unique mental health challenges

College is a demanding time for any student. For most of them, it’s their first time on their own, out from under constant parental care and supervision.

The office has changed — and so has the workplace anxiety that comes with it

For those of us who have tried to make working from home the routine, many have come to the realization that there’s nothing routine about it.

People are starting families later in life. UPMC helps them do it successfully

Over the course of the past year, UPMC reproductive endocrinologist, Julie Rios, MD, has noticed a clear increase in the number of people coming to the UPMC Magee-Womens Center for Fertility and Reproductive Endocrinology.

Featured Stories

For student athletes, college presents unique mental health challenges

College is a demanding time for any student. For most of them, it’s their first time on their own, out from under constant parental care and supervision.

Song, dance, and art therapy are important behavioral health tools

UPMC has been using creative arts, like music, drawing, and dancing, as a way of tapping into patients’ emotions and help them reach out for help.

UPMC Mercy believes that patients should be put at the center of their health care journey, cultivating an understanding of the big picture when it comes to their overall wellbeing. While there’s no way to predict when the unexpected will happen, a team of compassionate professionals is sure to be there every step of the way.

At UPMC compassion comes first

After being diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus during her first pregnancy, when Alisha K. found out she was pregnant again (this time with twins), she returned to the same doctor who delivered her son.

Alisha K.

Every woman occasionally experiences some minor discomfort and inconvenience during her monthly periods. But for Angie Costa Gifford of Jefferson Hills, PA, her periods were anything but minor.

Angie Costa Gifford

For Rachel Lendyak-Peters, watching her twin sons, Greyson and Sawyer, run and play with their little brother, Weston — all born at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital — brings a special kind of joy.

Rachel Lendyak-Peters

After seven years of trying to have a baby, we were told no one in our area could help us. That’s when we turned to Dr. Joseph Sanfilippo and the Center for Fertility and Reproductive Endocrinology at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital.

Courtney, Scott & Callum

Just three minutes after arriving at UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, Jessica delivered her baby. “The team was ready and so well prepared for this situation,” she said of her experience.

Jessica

Women's Health Testimonials

Otherwise known as HPV, this check for abnormalities in your cervix is usually performed with a pap smear.

Human Papillomavirus Test

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These tests, in which cells are gently collected from the surface of the cervix, are recommended for women over 21, but especially for older women and those who are Black. Pap smears can detect cervical cancer or precancerous lesions.

Pap Smear

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A magnetic resonance imaging exam of the chest might be recommended for women who have a higher risk of breast cancer.

MRI

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Low-energy x-rays are used to look for any unusual masses or distortions in the breasts. Women should get their first mammogram at age 40 and annually thereafter, perhaps sooner depending on personal and/or family history, so talk to your physician about risk factors.

Mammogram

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Your health care provider will check your breasts’ appearance and use their hands to feel and gently squeeze, looking for lumps and differences in the size and shape, as well as abnormalities in the nipples and skin covering each breast. This should occur annually.

Clinical Breast Exam

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This is a screening method in which a woman looks at her breasts in the mirror and checks with her hands for any lumps, swelling, or other abnormalities including nipple discharge. Should occur once each month several days after monthly period. If no longer having a period, choose the same designated time each month.

Breast self-exam

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Select a screening type to learn more.

Women's screenings

Here are the screenings recommended for women over 40, especially those with family history of breast or cervical cancer.

When it comes to eating disorders, social media can be a harmful influence

In her former career as a professional dancer, Alexandra Salerno often found herself compared with the ideal.

Song, dance, and art therapy are important behavioral health tools

UPMC has been using creative arts, like music, drawing, and dancing, as a way of tapping into patients’ emotions and help them reach out for help.

A new hope: UPMC Mercy Burn Center helps patients move past tragedy to find new life

UPMC Mercy is the only hospital in western Pennsylvania with both a Comprehensive Burn Center and a Level I Regional Resource Trauma Center under the same roof.

Doctors now see that perinatal mental health goes far beyond the old “baby blues”

When Priya Gopalan, MD, first entered the field of perinatal mental health more than a decade ago...

People are starting families later in life. UPMC helps them do it successfully

A new hope: UPMC Mercy Burn Center helps patients move past tragedy to find new life

UPMC Mercy is the only hospital in western Pennsylvania with both a Comprehensive Burn Center and a Level I Regional Resource Trauma Center under the same roof.

People are starting families later in life — UPMC helps them do it successfully

A UPMC reproductive endocrinologist has noticed an increase in people coming to the UPMC for fertility and reproductive endocrinology.

Women face many of the same digestive health issues as men

The facts are that most common GI issues, like colon cancer and liver disease, affect women as much as men.

UPMC Mercy Burn Center helps patients move past tragedy to find new life

UPMC Mercy is the only hospital in western PA with both a Comprehensive Burn Center and a Level I Regional Resource Trauma Center.

UPMC specialists do more than see fetal abnormalities — they can fix them

Learn why women come to Pittsburgh from all over the country to ensure the best possible outcomes before, during, and after pregnancy.

This holiday season, give yourself the gift of mental wellbeing with these 7 tips

The holidays are generally a time of joy and celebration, but also ‘tis the season for extraordinary stress, anxiety, and depression. And it’s not just because of the holidays.