HAPPY OCTOBER, 2025
October 2025
Welcome to the October edition of the Inspire Behavioral Health Newsletter. Please let us know if you know someone who would like to begin receiving our newsletter and will be happy to send them a copy. We offer high quality and compassionate mental health care and addiction treatment to people living in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia, virtually and in-person with offices in Vienna, Fairfax, Sterling, Washington, D.C. and Bethesda, Maryland. Our experienced psychiatrists, addiction psychiatrists and psychotherapists strongly believe that we all have solutions to resolving our struggles within us. We believe enjoying our mental health is a matter of learning how to tap into these solutions. Providers at Inspire Behavioral Health help people heal, cope and manage their mental health by allowing them to focus on their strengths and harness their available resources. We work together to treat your symptoms while helping you to identify the underlying causes for those symptoms, and by encouraging the use of more effective techniques to cope with life’s difficulties. We try to help you in building resilience to help maintain your optimal mental health. Call us for more information and to schedule a convenient appointment in the near future at 703-592-4600. We are often able to offer clients an appointment the same day of your call or the next day. Please visit our website:www.InspireBehavioralHealth.com. And, on behalf of Inspire Behavioral Health, we hope you and yours are enjoying a happy and healthy month. Please consider celebrating this special month by investing in your mental health today by freeing yourself from the obstacles that keep you from living your best life, and by calling us to schedule an appointment. Happy October!
World Mental Health Day
October is an important month in mental health and well-being. This month we mark World Mental Health Day, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National LGBT History Month and National Coming Out Day, as well as National Disability Employment Awareness Month and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Month.
The theme of World Mental Health Day 2025, announced by the World Federation for Mental Health, is “Access to Services – Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies.” This theme seems highly opportune to the current global situation. The world news reports countless catastrophes and emergencies. How are these catastrophes and emergencies affecting the mental health of human beings? Is there sufficient access to services to sustain, if not improve, mental health? If the catastrophes and emergencies are so pervasive, these phenomena must be deeply rooted in the essential natures of human beings. To counter the untoward effects of these essential natures, we need to mobilize the other fundamental natures of human beings that facilitate support, healing, and care for others. The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) continues to be committed to achieving better mental health for human beings. To tackle the global issues, the WFMH needs to collaborate with its national and global partners.
World Mental Health Day (WMHDAY), observed annually on October 10th, began in 1992 as a bold initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health. Spearheaded by then Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter, it was envisioned as a day to promote mental health advocacy and public education worldwide.
What started as a modest broadcast from Tallahassee, Florida-featuring live participation from five continents-quickly revealed the global appetite for connection and awareness. One of the earliest signs of impact came from Swaziland, where WFMH members spontaneously joined the broadcast, and from Peru, which sent the first of many feedback reports.
In 1994, under the guidance of Secretary General Eugene Brody, WMHDAY adopted its first official theme: “Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services throughout the World.” That year, 27 countries reported back with activities ranging from national campaigns to grassroots gatherings. Within just three years, WMHDAY had become a recognized occasion for governments, organizations, and individuals to spotlight mental health care and advocacy.
In 1995, the reach of WMHDAY was unmistakable. Events spanned from month-long celebrations in Egypt to symbolic acts of remembrance in the United Kingdom, where spring bulbs were planted at the historic site of “Bedlam.” The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) played a pivotal role in expanding access by translating and distributing materials in Spanish, inspiring WFMH to later offer resources in French, Hindi, Russian, Japanese, Chinese, and Arabic-thanks to the dedication of our global members and supporters.
Over time, WMHDAY has grown into a self-sustaining global movement. From parades and conferences to street-level advocacy and digital campaigns, millions of people now participate in their own unique ways. Institutions like the World Health Organization and the United Nations have embraced October 10th as a cornerstone of global mental health awareness. The rise of social media amplified our reach exponentially, and in 2019, WMDAY unveiled the first official World Mental Health Day logo which is now a lasting symbol of unity and advocacy. That same year, the campaign reached over 10 million people online, a milestone that affirmed WMHDAY’s place as one of the world’s leading mental health awareness days.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
The National Breast Cancer Foundation says that in 2025, more than 360, 000 people will be diagnosed with Breast Cancer and that early detection is the key to treatment and survival. When breast cancer is detected early, and is in the localized stage, the 5-year relative survival rate is 99%. Early detection means finding cancer before it spreads. Breast cancer cannot usually be prevented, but early detection provides the greatest possibility of successful treatment. Early detection includes doing monthly breast self-exams and scheduling regular clinical exams and mammograms. By following the three steps outlined in this guide, you can help increase your chance of detecting breast cancer early.
Breast Self-Awareness
The first step in practicing early detection is developing breast self-awareness. Knowing how your breasts normally look and feel, also called breast self-awareness, will help you identify any changes or abnormalities in your breasts that should be reported to your doctor promptly. You should know the geography of your breasts better than anyone.
One of the most commonly reported breast changes is a lump.
A breast lump is a mass, growth, or swelling within the breast tissue. A breast lump often feels like a solid or thick spot in or around the breast tissue, or in the underarm area. A breast lump will be noticeably more solid than the surrounding breast tissue. Breast lumps can vary in size, shape, and feel. Some may be the size of a pea, while others may be larger than a golf ball. Breast lumps may feel round, smooth, and moveable, or may be hard, jagged, and stationary. Breast lumps may be present in one or both breasts. Some breast lumps may cause pain or discomfort, but many do not. A painful breast lump is not necessarily a sign of breast cancer, but should be looked at by a doctor. If you find a breast lump, schedule an appointment with your doctor, but don’t panic – most lumps are not cancer. In fact, 60-80% of breast lumps are non-cancerous. However, it is important to note that the absence of a noticeable breast lump does not mean breast cancer cannot or has not developed.
Male breast lump
Although breast cancer primarily affects women, men also have breast tissue that can develop breast cancer. Male breast cancer is rare and makes up less than 1% of all breast cancer diagnoses. While rare, men carry a higher breast cancer mortality rate than women due to delayed diagnosis and treatment. Male breast cancer is usually self-detected as a hard lump underneath the nipple and areola. As in women, the lump may or may not be painful. Men should see a doctor immediately if they notice a lump anywhere within the breast tissue of either breast or underarm area.
Breast self-exam
Every woman will have a unique “normal” feel to their breasts. Some women’s breasts may be more textured, or dense, than others. The feel of your breasts may also change based on your monthly menstrual cycle. It is important for all women to be breast self-aware and know what normal feels like for them. This will help you easily and quickly identify any breast changes. The best way to become familiar with your normal breast feel is to perform a monthly breast self-exam. Additionally, if you have had breast surgery, either for breast cancer or other reason, you will need to re-learn the “normal” look and feel of your breasts as surgery may change what was once normal for you. Adult women of all ages are encouraged to perform a monthly breast self-exam to look for any changes in the breast tissue, including a lump or other abnormalities, such as changes in the breast skin. While a breast self-exam is a useful tool for the early detection of breast cancer, it should not take the place of regular mammograms and clinical exams.
How to perform a breast self-exam
You should perform a breast self-exam 7-10 days after your menstrual period starts which is when your breasts are the least tender and lumpy. If you are no longer menstruating, then you should select the same day of the month (first of the month, for example) and mark it on the calendar to remind yourself when to perform this self-exam. You should look for any changes from your previous month’s exam to this month’s exam.
There are 3 steps to follow to perform a thorough breast self-exam:
- In the Shower. With the pads/flats of your 3 middle fingers, check the entire breast and armpit area, pressing down with light, medium, and firm pressure. Check both breasts each month, feeling for any new lumps, thickenings, hardened knots, or any other breast changes.
- In Front of a Mirror. With your arms at your sides, visually inspect your breasts, looking for any changes in the contour or shape of the breasts, any dimpling, swelling, or other skin irregularities on or around the breasts, or any changes in the nipples. Next, rest your palms on your hips and press firmly to flex your chest muscles. Look for any dimpling, puckering, or other changes, particularly on one side. Note that the left and right breasts will not exactly match—few women’s breasts are perfectly symmetrical.
- Lying Down. When lying down, the breast tissue spreads out evenly along the chest wall. Place a pillow under your right shoulder and put your right arm behind your head. Using your left hand, move the pads of your 3 middle fingers around your right breast, covering the entire breast area and armpit. Use light, medium, and firm pressure to feel for any new lumps, thickenings, hardened knots, or any other breast changes. Also squeeze the nipple to check for discharge. Repeat these steps for your left breast.
Signs & Symptoms
Every person should know the signs and symptoms of breast cancer. Many early-stage breast cancers do not produce any noticeable signs or symptoms, but sometimes symptoms may be present. Most people who have breast cancer symptoms will initially notice only one or two, and the presence of these symptoms does not automatically mean that you have breast cancer. If you notice symptoms or anything unusual, talk to your doctor promptly.
Changes to look for include:
- A new lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area
- Any unexplained change in the size or shape of the breast, including swelling or shrinkage (especially if on one side only)
- Dimpling anywhere on the breast
- Puckering in the skin of the breast
- A nipple turned inward (inverted) into the breast
- Discharge (fluid) from the nipple (particularly clear or bloody discharge)
- A change in the skin texture, discoloration, swelling, or an enlargement of pores in the skin of the breast (some describe this as similar to an orange peel’s texture)
- Scaly, red, or swollen skin on the breast, nipple, or areola
- Recent asymmetry (unequal or lack of sameness) of the breasts
You should see your doctor about any of these symptoms.
LGBTQIA+ History Month
October is also a celebration of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History Month, an annual month-long observance of LGBT history and the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements. It was founded in 1994 by Missouri high-school history teacher Rodney Wilson. LGBT History Month provides role models, builds community, and represents a civil rights statement about the contributions of the LGBTQ+ community. As of 2022, LGBT History Month is a month-long celebration that is specific to Australia, Canada, Cuba, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States. In the United States, Canada, Armenia, Romania, the Netherlands, Southeast Asia, and Australia, it is celebrated in October to coincide with National Coming Out Day on 11 October and to commemorate the first and second marches on Washington in 1979 and 1987 for LGBT rights.
National Coming Out Day
National Coming Out Day is an annual LGBT awareness day observed on October 11 to support anyone “coming out of the closet.” First celebrated in the United States in 1988, the initial idea was grounded in the feminist and gay liberation spirit of the personal being political, and the emphasis on the most basic form of activism being coming out to family, friends, and colleagues, and living life as an openly LGBTQIA+ person. The founders believed that homophobia thrives in an atmosphere of silence and ignorance and that once people know that they have loved ones who are LGBTQIA+, they are far less likely to maintain homophobic or oppressive views.
History
NCOD was inaugurated in 1988 by Robert Eichberg and Jean O’Leary. Eichberg, who died in 1995 of complications from AIDS, was a psychologist from New Mexico and the founder of the personal growth workshop “The Experience”. O’Leary was an openly lesbian political leader and long-time activist from New York and was at the time the head of the National Gay Rights Advocates in Los Angeles. LGBT activists, including Eichberg and O’Leary, did not want to respond defensively to anti-LGBT action because they believed it would be predictable. This led them to establish NCOD to maintain positivity and celebrate coming out. The date of October 11 was chosen because it is the anniversary of the Second National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights in 1987.
“Most people think they don’t know anyone gay or lesbian, and in fact, everybody does. It is imperative that we come out and let people know who we are and disabuse them of their fears and stereotypes.” Robert Eichberg, 1993.
OCD Awareness Month
October is OCD awareness month, and the International Obsessive Compulsive Foundation, OCD is committed to decreasing stigma, increasing community, and making sure everyone is educated about OCD—whether you live with the condition or know someone who does. Help is available. Please call Inspire Behavioral Health today to schedule an appointment with one of our providers to learn more.
OCD is often minimized and ridiculed in mainstream media. Because intrusive thoughts can involve taboo topics, people with OCD may be completely mislabeled as violent—even dangerous. As a result of this stigma, many people with OCD suffer in silence out of fear of judgment. Being educated and aware helps break down misconceptions, making it easier to talk about OCD and seek life-changing treatment.
We encourage our community to speak up and increase awareness because it helps people realize they’re not alone and empowers them to seek help before symptoms worsen. Early intervention and evidence-based treatments like exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy can change lives—and even save them.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
In October 2025, we celebrate the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), an annual recognition of the positive impact of people with disabilities in the American workforce. This yearly event began in 1945 as a weeklong national observance of the contributions of people with physical disabilities. In 1988, Congress designated the commemoration as NDEAM, which then evolved to acknowledge the importance of increasing opportunities for people with disabilities, including those with mental health conditions and other nonobvious disabilities, in the workforce. In 2001, ODEP was created and entrusted to administer NDEAM, including the selection and promotion of its annual theme.
Leading up to the celebration of America’s 250th anniversary in 2026, this year’s NDEAM theme and graphics will also honor the national milestone. NDEAM 2025 will recognize the value and talent American workers with disabilities add to our workplaces and economy and highlight their achievements both past and present. That’s the spirit behind this year’s official theme: “Celebrating Value and Talent.”
Your Mental Health
Remember that help available if you or someone you know is struggling with a mental health or substance use issue, and now is the time to get the help you or they need. Please call us at Inspire Behavioral Health to schedule an appointment to talk with one of our clinicians.
What Is Your Story? How can we help you build a life worth Living?
We each find ourselves from time to time wondering how we will get to the next step and out from under our own personal struggles. We may have self-doubt and question our motives and abilities, asking if we have what it takes to take action or keep to a plan. These thoughts and feelings are normal. Our competence and confidence may be in a vulnerable spot at times and we may be unsure where and who to turn to for help. We may find ourselves engaging in harmful behaviors, negative self-talk, self-sabotaging, second-guessing and questioning ourselves obsessively, losing sight of who we are in the world, drinking excessively, using drugs or engaging in risky behavior that has clearly become out of control.
Substance Use and Addiction
Do you wonder whether your use of alcohol is excessive? Do you worry that that you may be heading toward problematic drinking, or has your drinking begun to cause issues or concerns for your health, in your relationships, at work or with the law? If this sounds like you, then take the CAGE (free on-line).
Call us at IBH to talk with one of our providers who can offer you an evaluation by an addiction psychiatrist or a certified substance use therapist. They will then work with you on an effective treatment plan that may include talk therapy, anti-craving medication, or Medication Assisted Therapy, (MAT), such as Suboxone. We also strongly encourage attending community-based recovery groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Sex Anonymous and other Twelve Step Programs.
Inspire Behavioral Health offers a full range of mental health services as well as treatment options for people struggling with substance use (alcohol and other drugs), and process addictions (food, sex, gambling, spending, Internet, video game, or social media addiction, shopping and other behaviors that are marked by poor impulse control), with medications as well as individual, couple, family and group therapy. Nearly eight million adults in the United States experience co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
let us help
Do you wonder whether your use of alcohol is excessive? Do you worry that you may be heading toward problematic drinking, or has your drinking begun to cause you embarrassment, guilt, remorse, or concerns about your health, or in your relationships at home or work. Has your drinking come to involve you with the law? If this sounds like you, then take the CAGE, which is free on-line, and below, to help determine some talking points you can have with a professional.
The CAGE Assessment is a personal assessment for substance abuse. It will not give you a formal diagnosis. It is simply a preliminary instrument used for assessment. A formal diagnosis requires a thorough evaluation by a trained, experienced and certified professional. The CAGE can be adopted for other out-of-control behaviors.
how to find a counselor
Once you decide to get professional health for a personal struggle, whether it is about anxiety, depression, grief, a mood disorder, an addiction to a substance or a behavior that has become out of control, a relationship issue, a sexual issue or something else, finding the right type of provider and service can be daunting. Where do you start? Inspire Behavioral Health can help because we are home to many caring professionals with a variety of specialties. We are confident you will find the provider who has the experience to address your particular issues and unique circumstances. Please visit our website to read our providers’ biographies, areas of expertise and their perspectives on how to help you. If you are in a rural area, you may have difficulty finding a mental health professional nearby, so remember that all of our clinicians are available to you virtually.
COMING THIS FALL
Learning and Practicing the Four Basic Steps to Men’s Mental Health
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a compassionate type of behavioral therapy that is intended to help people move toward a more mindful, aware and purposeful life. Come learn the four pillars of DBT which are Core Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness, Emotional Regulation and Distress Tolerance. When you learn these four pillars and their accompanying skills and you will have to tools you need to build a “life worth living.” Men in this group offered at Inspire Behavioral Health and led by Psychotherapist, Ed Andrews, are taught the basic skills necessary to help manage life’s stressors and manage your physical health. This is done in a framework that helps people understand that we are doing the best we can while recognizing that there are new strategies you can learn that will be more effective than what are you doing now. This group is a safe, confidential place for men who are sustaining their recovery from substance (alcohol or drugs) and/or process (pornography, internet or gambling) addictions, or coping with chronic illness such as Prostate Cancer, aging, managing stress, anxiety and/or depression, accommodating change in their lives, coping with loss and transition, dealing with sexual issues including ED, and seeking support and growth. Please contact us for more information about this important group. Call Ed Andrews for more information about this program.
Thank you for being part of Inspire Behavioral Health, we appreciate you and wish you a happy October!
Office Location:
Vienna: 2110 Gallows Road Suite D, Vienna, VA 22182
Fairfax: 11211 Waples Mill Road Suite 150, Fairfax, VA 22030
Washington, DC: 3000 Connecticut Avenue, Suite 137, Washington, DC 20008
Sterling: 46090 Lake Center Plaza, Suite 103-104, Sterling, VA 20165
Bethesda: 6203 Executive Boulevard, North Bethesda, MD 20852
Ed Andrews, LPC, LMFT, Newsletter Editor
703-592-4600
info@inspirebehavioralhealth.com