Presentation on connection between Lyme disease and mental disorders

By Laurie Gordon
NEWTON —The National Alliance of Mental Illness will welcome Doreen Rasp, APN, this Thursday evening (February 2) to speak about “The Link Between Lyme Disease and Mental Disorders” at Bridgeway in Newton from 7 to 8:30 pm.
“In a nutshell, it's going to be about Lyme disease, and how it can create and exacerbate mental illness,” Rasp said. “It is meant to educate those suffering with the disease, as well those that are caring for people with Lyme.”
Deborah Drumm, APN,BC, works at Bridgeway Rehabilitation Services and owns a private practice called Advanced Behavioral Counseling of Northern New Jersey, LLC, of the presentation, she said, “Lyme disease is a dangerous often a 'missed diagnosed' illness that if not treated early, has chronic devastating disabilities. Clinical Depression chronic pain, insomnia and even suicide. This will be an important and informative presentation.”
Rasp is a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with Advanced Behavioral Counseling of Northern New Jersey and is a dual-certified family and mental health nurse practitioner. In her role as part of Advanced Behavioral Counseling, Rasp provides pharmacological management for a variety of mental health disorders. Her areas of professional interest include management of post-partum depression, major depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorders, and Attention Deficit Disorder.
Rasp treats the depression and anxiety linked to Lyme disease and their co-infections: bartonella, erlichiosis and barbesia. She is well versed in the connection between Lyme disease and its residual effects contributing to mental health disorders. Rasp has been a Registered Nurse since 1995, and completed a Master’s as a Family Nurse Practitioner from Rutgers University in 2009 and has specialized in primary care as well as gastroenterology. Her blended experience has led to increasing awareness and interest in connection between the brain and the gut. In 2015 she completed a Post-Master’s certification as a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from Wilkes University. The dual certification allows her to provide comprehensive holistic care to all of her clients.
Lyme disease is so named because it was first diagnosed in Old Lyme, Connecticut in 1975. According to lymedisease.org and the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lyme disease is a bacterial infection primarily transmitted by Ixodes ticks, also known as deer ticks, and on the West Coast, black-legged ticks. These tiny arachnids are typically found in wooded and grassy areas. Although people may think of Lyme as an East Coast disease, it is found throughout the United States, as well as in more than sixty other countries.
The CDC estimates that 300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease in the US every year. That’s 1.5 times the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer, and six times the number of people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS each year in the US. However, because diagnosing Lyme can be difficult, many people who actually have Lyme may be misdiagnosed with other conditions. Many experts believe the true number of cases is much higher.
Thursday's presentation is part of a series presented by The National Alliance of Mental Illness. NAMI New Jersey (NAMI NJ) is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. Through education, support, advocacy and public awareness programs NAMI NJ fosters understanding about mental illness, confronts stigma often associated with mental disorders, advocates for public policies that benefit those affected by mental illness, and promotes research into the causes, treatment and recovery of mental health disorders.
There is no charge for this program and no need to register in advance. For more information, call 973-214-0632. Bridgeway is located at 93 Stickles Pond Road in Newton.