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Bill Klaproth (Host): Dr. Venkata Kolli will join Columbus Community Hospital in August 2019 as the only fulltime locally based psychiatrist in Columbus. And he will practice out of CCH’s new Columbus Psychiatry Clinic. So, let’s learn more about Dr. Kolli, his specialties in psychiatry and his goals for the Columbus Psychiatry Clinic. Dr. Kolli thank you for your time. So, tell us who you treat, kids and adults and what age ranges do you see?

Venkata Kolli, MBBS (Guest): Thanks Bill. I’m a US certified child psychiatrist. So, I can see both children and adults. I see a whole range of ages ranging from five years old to 70.

Host: So, you cover the whole gamut there which is really good to have. So, let me ask you this then, next question. What conditions do you specialize in?

Dr. Kolli: You know being a psychiatrist, we commonly treat depression and bipolar disorder. But I’m trained to treat posttraumatic stress disorder, other anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders like schizophrenia and also, I can treat early stages like mild to moderate dementias.

Host: Yeah, that’s really good. Anxiety it seems like there’s a lot more anxiety cases and a lot of people suffering with anxiety in the world today. So, I know a lot of people kind of live silently with mental health conditions. What do you think stops or halts people from getting treatment for mental health?

Dr. Kolli: You know, a couple of things really Bill. One is people don’t recognize that mental health conditions are impairing their progress. The second thing is there’s a lot of stigma around mental health conditions which impedes people from actually seeking treatments.

Host: Okay, so how can someone, you say there are certain things that impede people from getting treatments. How can they overcome those barriers?

Dr. Kolli: First is going to be information, getting to know a bit more about what it is using online resources, reading about these conditions et cetera. The second thing is going to be actually, I think having a provider who is available, who is accessible that they can meet, have a confidential discussion on how to overcome their mental health impediments.

Host: All right. Let me ask you this Dr. Kolli. A lot of us have range of emotions. Some days you kind of feel blue or down or sad; at what point should someone see the doctor? How can we recognize that point?

Dr. Kolli: That’s a very good question Bill. The key thing is, I think we are all human, we go through a series of emotions. Some days we are happy, some days we are sad. That is totally normal. Then if a particular mood state is persistent for a very long period of time, say for example someone is sad for months together or weeks together and even things that usually make them happy don’t cheer them up, they are losing interest in things; that is the time I think they should start seeking care.

Host: Yeah, that’s a really good point. And if you recognize that in a loved one; how should you say something to that person?

Dr. Kolli: First step would be actually to look at what is going on in their life. The second is going to be look at any plausible explanations for this behavior and if there’s any suspicion of something like depression or any mental health disorder; probably having a discussion with primary care doctor and if need be, I think have a discussion with a therapist or a psychiatrist.

Host: Right, so, let’s talk about treatment then. How do you normally go about treating mental health and how does medication work with counseling?

Dr. Kolli: This is a wonderful question. The first step usually is going to be to look at what treatments are necessary. For mild to moderate disorders; usually most people don’t require medications, like psychotherapy, counseling, enhanced support usually helps the individual overcome these mental health conditions. If it is moderate to severe though, then we are looking at therapy and medication. Often, therapy and medication for most conditions have similar efficacy. However, when we combine them both, for most conditions the therapeutic efficacy is enhanced.

So, the chances of someone having a successful treatment is higher when they combine both medications and psychotherapy.

Host: So, I think it’s important to state that for people that do realize they need help, they come in and they get treatment, they can manage this and for the most part, live a normal life. Is that right?

Dr. Kolli: That is correct. A vast majority can because most of these conditions are actually treatable and once treated, they actually improve quality of life significantly.

Host: You were mentioning earlier that the stigmas that surround mental health. Do you feel like in this country, though we are getting past that and more people are asking for help?

Dr. Kolli: I think we are close. But there is still some work that needs to be done. But people are recognizing it much better, largely because there has been a positive media coverage around recovery, there’s a lot of recovery oriented literature so, yeah, I think there is a better recognition and the next step would be actually to provide more resources that actually tie in with better recognition.

Host: And speaking of needed resources, we are so excited that you are part of Columbus Community Hospital as the only fulltime locally based psychiatrist in Columbus. It’s so exciting. So, Dr. Kolli, what are your goals for the Columbus Psychiatry Clinic?

Dr. Kolli: You know Bill, my first goal is to provide a whole plethora of treatments for several mental health conditions. So, initially, we will be providing both psychotherapy and psychopharmacological treatments. It will be me and a colleague of mine who will be doing that. As we move along, probably I think growing the clinic with more therapists and hopefully I think get a second partner so that we can service the community – mental health needs of the community better.

Host: And if someone does need to make an appointment with you, how can they get a hold of you and make that appointment?

Dr. Kolli: Well yeah, I think all they need is to give us a call. Our phone number is 402-562-4765 and we are open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30.

Host: And as we wrap up, are there any other thoughts you have on mental health Dr. Kolli?

Dr. Kolli: There are a few things that people can do to actually improve their mental health. One is having a healthy diet, healthy exercise and managing emotions with a healthier lifestyle. So, staying away from things like excessive alcohol, substance use, those kinds of things.

Host: Well Dr. Kolli, thank you again for your time. And if you want to make an appointment at Columbus Psychiatry Clinic, once again, call 402-562-4765 or visit www.columbushosp.org.

And if you found this podcast helpful, please share it on your social channels and check out our entire podcast library for topics of interest to you. This is Columbus Community Hospital Healthcast from Columbus Community Hospital. I’m Bill Klaproth. Thanks for listening.