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Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD

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Specializes in: Psychology
Professional interests include: anxiety, parenting issues, meditation, and more.
401 Allegheny Avenue
Hanover, PA 17331

Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD is a psychologist in Hanover, PA specializing in psychology.

View Provider's Full Profile (717) 632-3886

Office Locations

401 Allegheny Avenue
Hanover, PA 17331
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Some issues Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD can help you with:

Anxiety

Anxiety is a generic name given to a variety of conditions characterized by unusual amounts of fear and worry, especially unrealistic fears and tension. People who suffer from anxiety often are aware that their fears are irrational, but that knowledge does not make the feeling of being scared and anxious go away. To qualify as anxiety, symptoms must last for 6 months or more and interfere with the way a person lives their daily life. Some cases may be mild, where, for example, a person simply avoids certain situations. Other cases can be severe enough to be disabling.

Some of the specific conditions covered under the general label of anxiety include:

  • Generalized anxiety disorder
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder
  • Phobias
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Social phobia
  • Panic disorder

Collectively, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issues diagnosed in the United States -- even more common than depression. Women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with anxiety, and it is extremely common for a person with anxiety to have another illness at the same time, such as depression, a physical illness, or substance abuse.

Treatment for anxiety usually involves medication and psychotherapy together. Medications used may include antidepressants (which also work for anxiety), anti-anxiety medications, or beta blockers (which can be used to control the physical symptoms of anxiety). Psychotherapy can be useful to teach patients new ways of thinking and reacting so that they can manage their feelings of worry and fear. Support groups can also be very effective for anxiety, and they can be a form of treatment themselves for social phobias. Stress management, relaxation techniques, and meditation all help reduce feelings of anxiety or of being out of control. Finally, having a strong support network of family and friends is an excellent way to help manage the difficulties of life with anxiety.

Depression

Everyone knows what it feels like to get the blues once in a while. But depression is a serious illness that is more severe than a bad day and lasts much longer. Symptoms of depression stop a person from being able to function and enjoy daily activities for weeks or months at a time. It can happen to anyone, and it isn't something that people can control by force of will or "snap out of it."

Some common symptoms of depression include:

  • Feeling sad, guilty, empty or hopeless
  • Fatigue and a lack of energy and motivation
  • A loss of pleasure in activities that were previously enjoyed
  • Unusual sleep or eating habits
  • Mental fog -- trouble concentrating, remembering, or making decisions
  • Physical aches and pains
  • Suicidal thoughts or a preoccupation with death

We don't yet know what causes depression, but it's thought that it is a combination of genetic, biological, environmental, and social influences. Because of this, the most effective treatments for depression combine medication with psychotherapy. Therapy, especially cognitive-behavioral therapy, can be extremely helpful in resolving the negative thoughts and feelings that come with depression. It gives patients new tools that they can use themselves to cope when their depression is making them feel down.

Some of the common medications used to treat depression include antidepressants such as SSRI's (Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft) or atypical antidepressants (Cymbalta, Wellbutrin). It's important to remember that these medications have different effects on everybody, and no one medication works right for everyone. Patients may have to try a couple before finding the one that works just right for them. If the first medication they try doesn't work, they should talk to their doctor about trying something else. In extreme cases where medication is not enough, electro-convulsive therapy and hospitalization may be the answer to keeping a severely depressed person safe.

Depression is a difficult illness to deal with, but it is more common than believed and there are many people who can help. With the right treatment, individuals with depression can get back to fully enjoying life again.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder that people may develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. PTSD causes recurring nightmares, flashbacks, and disturbing memories about the traumatic event. It is frequently triggered by particularly intense and life-threatening incidents. For example, someone involved in a serious car accident may have severe anxiety about the accident months or even years later. War veterans and people involved in armed conflict are particularly prone to developing PTSD. In decades past, PTSD was called shellshock and was used to describe the negative emotions that soldiers endured from war. Today, medical professionals who treat PTSD recognize that it can occur in all types of people and can result from all types of traumatic incidents. It is not known exactly why some people develop PTSD, although PTSD frequently arises from:

  • Accidents
  • Sexual or physical assault
  • Combat
  • Childhood abuse
  • Domestic abuse
  • Natural disasters
  • Torture and kidnapping

People who have experienced significant and repeated trauma are more likely to develop PTSD. Those who have disorders like depression or a family history of depression may also be more prone to PTSD. PTSD symptoms typically begin one month to one year following the traumatic event. There are four main categories of PTSD symptoms:

  • Intrusive memories: Intrusive memories include unwanted memories, feelings of reliving the traumatic event, distressing nightmares, and emotional disturbances from triggers (signs that serve as reminders of the traumatic event). Intrusive memories can lead to elevated heart rate, anxiety, combativeness (fight), withdrawal (flight), and many other responses.
  • Avoidance: Avoidance is an attempt to avoid speaking or thinking about an upsetting event. People with this response might also try to avoid certain people or locations that prompt memories of an event.
  • Changes in physical and emotional reactions: These changes may include difficulty sleeping, hypervigilance, self-destructive behavior, and feelings of guilt and irritability.
  • Alterations in cognition and mood: Alterations can cause negative self-beliefs, depression, shame, and detachment from others.

The intensity and frequency of these symptoms can vary over time. PTSD symptoms may suddenly return after disappearing for years. Many PTSD patients find treatment helps to gradually reduce their symptoms over time.

The most common treatments for PTSD are psychotherapy and oral medications. Psychotherapy for PTSD can include cognitive therapy (therapy to change thought patterns), exposure therapy (therapy to confront memories of the traumatic incident) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR). EMDR integrates exposure therapy with guided eye movements to help patients confront and process their trauma. Certain oral medications may help with PTSD, such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. Self-care, support groups, and relaxation may also benefit those with PTSD.

The path to overcoming PTSD can be long and challenging and people with PTSD can benefit greatly by seeking professional treatment from a mental health care provider. Treatment can reduce PTSD symptoms, provide essential coping strategies, and improve one's quality of life.

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2012 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD treated as a psychologist in Hanover, PA during 2012 were mental health therapy and diagnostic evaluation.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD for Medicare patients.

diagnostic evaluation 17
mental health therapy 195

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2013 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD treated as a psychologist in Hanover, PA during 2013 were mental health therapy.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD for Medicare patients.

mental health therapy 166

2013 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD.

Gender
Male 11
Female 20
Age
From 65 to 74 15
From 75 to 84 0
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD in 2013

Hypertension 68
High Cholesterol 68
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 0
Depression 71
Chronic Kidney Disease 0
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 0
Heart Failure 0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 0
Diabetes 0
Dementia 0
Cancer 0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2014 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD treated as a psychologist in Hanover, PA during 2014 were mental health therapy.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD for Medicare patients.

mental health therapy 184

2014 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD.

Gender
Male 18
Female 27
Age
From 65 to 74 20
From 75 to 84 13
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD in 2014

Hypertension 62
High Cholesterol 71
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 31
Depression 64
Chronic Kidney Disease 0
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 0
Heart Failure 0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 0
Diabetes 31
Dementia 0
Cancer 0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2015 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD treated as a psychologist in Hanover, PA during 2015 were mental health therapy.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD for Medicare patients.

mental health therapy 223

2015 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD.

Gender
Male 26
Female 54
Age
From 65 to 74 28
From 75 to 84 24
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD in 2015

Hypertension 55
High Cholesterol 75
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 0
Depression 75
Chronic Kidney Disease 0
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 0
Heart Failure 0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 0
Diabetes 35
Dementia 0
Cancer 0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2016 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD treated as a psychologist in Hanover, PA during 2016 were mental health therapy.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD for Medicare patients.

mental health therapy 289

2016 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD.

Gender
Male 21
Female 27
Age
From 65 to 74 21
From 75 to 84 0
85 and over 0
Less than 65 14

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD in 2016

Hypertension 52
High Cholesterol 67
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 27
Depression 75
Chronic Kidney Disease 0
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 0
Heart Failure 0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 0
Diabetes 35
Dementia 0
Cancer 0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2017 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD treated as a psychologist in Hanover, PA during 2017 were mental health therapy.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD for Medicare patients.

mental health therapy 382

2017 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD.

Gender
Male 19
Female 31
Age
From 65 to 74 26
From 75 to 84 0
85 and over 0
Less than 65 12

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD in 2017

Hypertension 48
High Cholesterol 64
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 22
Depression 75
Chronic Kidney Disease 0
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 0
Heart Failure 0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 0
Diabetes 32
Dementia 0
Cancer 0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2018 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD treated as a psychologist in Hanover, PA during 2018 were mental health therapy.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD for Medicare patients.

mental health therapy 345

2018 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD.

Gender
Male 19
Female 37
Age
From 65 to 74 33
From 75 to 84 11
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD in 2018

Hypertension 61
High Cholesterol 75
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 23
Depression 75
Chronic Kidney Disease 20
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 0
Heart Failure 0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 0
Diabetes 30
Dementia 0
Cancer 0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2019 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD treated as a psychologist in Hanover, PA during 2019 were mental health therapy.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD for Medicare patients.

mental health therapy 360

2019 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD.

Gender
Male 19
Female 38
Age
From 65 to 74 31
From 75 to 84 0
85 and over 0
Less than 65 12

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD in 2019

Hypertension 58
High Cholesterol 67
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 21
Depression 75
Chronic Kidney Disease 23
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 0
Heart Failure 0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 0
Diabetes 26
Dementia 0
Cancer 0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2020 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD treated as a psychologist in Hanover, PA during 2020 were mental health therapy.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD for Medicare patients.

mental health therapy 379

2020 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD.

Gender
Male 21
Female 29
Age
From 65 to 74 26
From 75 to 84 0
85 and over 0
Less than 65 12

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD in 2020

Hypertension 54
High Cholesterol 62
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 0
Depression 75
Chronic Kidney Disease 0
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 0
Heart Failure 0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 0
Diabetes 28
Dementia 0
Cancer 0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2021 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD treated as a psychologist in Hanover, PA during 2021 were mental health therapy.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD for Medicare patients.

mental health therapy 263

2021 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD.

Gender
Male 15
Female 31
Age
From 65 to 74 22
From 75 to 84 12
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD in 2021

Hypertension 52
High Cholesterol 67
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 24
Depression 75
Chronic Kidney Disease 24
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 0
Atrial Fibrilation 0
Heart Failure 0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 0
Diabetes 37
Dementia 0
Cancer 0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

2022 Medicare Procedure Volume

The top procedures that Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD treated as a psychologist in Hanover, PA during 2022 were mental health therapy.

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD for Medicare patients.

mental health therapy 243

2022 Medicare Patient Data

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD.

Gender
Male 11
Female 34
Age
From 65 to 74 24
From 75 to 84 0
85 and over 0
Less than 65 0

Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD in 2022

Hypertension 64
High Cholesterol 75
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 0
Depression 44
Chronic Kidney Disease 0
Asthma 0
Osteoperosis 29
Atrial Fibrilation 0
Heart Failure 0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 0
Diabetes 27
Dementia 0
Cancer 0

Medicare Procedure and Patient Information

Average Medicare Procedure Volume From 2012 - 2022

Volume of procedures performed by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD for Medicare patients.

The highest averages for the top procedures that Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD treated as a psychologist in Hanover, PA were mental health therapy and diagnostic evaluation.

diagnostic evaluation 17
mental health therapy 275

Average Medicare Patient Data From 2012 - 2022

Information about Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD.

Gender
Male 16
Female 29
Age
75 to 84 5
85 and over 0
Less than 65 4
65 to 74 22

Average of Total of Conditions of Medicare patients treated by Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD From 2012 - 2022

The highest averages of the most common conditions of Medicare patients that Dr. Richard E. Carlson, PHD treated were depression, high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes.

Hypertension 52
High Cholesterol 62
Stroke 0
Ischemic Heart Disease 13
Depression 64
Chronic Kidney Disease 6
Asthma 0
Osteoporosis 2
Heart Failure 0
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 0
Diabetes 25
Atrial Fibrillation 0
Dementia 0
Cancer 0

Education & Training

He has a state license in Pennsylvania.

Licensed In: Pennsylvania

Ratings & Reviews

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Biography

Dr. Richard Carlson's area of specialization is psychology. His areas of expertise include the following: depression, coping with life changes, and meditation.

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