• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

  • Home
  • Advertise
    • Advertise in One or All of our Magazines
    • Advertising Payment Form
  • Print Subscription
  • Digital Subscription
    • Subscribe
    • Subscriber Login
  • Contact Us

Silver Hill Hospital

Inside Silver Hill Hospital

April 24, 2013 by The Inside Press

The 2012 Silver Hill Gala, held in November at Cipriani 42nd Street, raised funds for scholarship support for their residential treatment programs. Some Chappaqua residents who attended (l-r): Larry Haynes, Janine Haynes, Maria Larramendi, Dr. Fred Feiner, Vicki Feiner and Laura Hamburg. Photo by Patrick McMullan
The 2012 Silver Hill Gala, held in November at Cipriani 42nd Street, raised funds for scholarship support for their residential treatment programs. Some Chappaqua residents who attended (l-r): Larry Haynes, Janine Haynes, Maria Larramendi, Dr. Fred Feiner, Vicki Feiner and Laura Hamburg.
Photo by Patrick McMullan

Offering Hope and Help in Treating Opioid Addictions

By Grace Bennett

Inside Chappaqua’s “connection” to Silver Hill Hospital, a not for profit, full service psychiatric hospital situated on a bucolic campus of New Canaan, CT, is really a connection to a wonderful Chappaqua resident and friend, Janine Crowley Haynes. Janine has sought help at Silver Hill to help manage her bipolar disorder. A few years ago, we featured her book, My Kind of Crazy. In it, Janine chronicles her story with fortitude and good humor.

Most recently, Janine–a volunteer on Silver Hill’s Development Committee–was eager to acquaint me with Silver Hill directly; she has told me that it is a special place of healing and new beginnings.  On our ride to Silver Hill, I asked Janine to help me choose a focus for my interview with Sigurd Ackerman, M.D., president and medical director. She suggested the newest program, the Chronic Pain and Recovery Center, because there are few like it in the country and there is a pressing need for the treatments it offers.

According to Dr. Ackerman, the Chronic Pain and Recovery Center is designed for individuals with chronic pain and some additional, co-occurring problem. The co-occurring problem may include chemical dependence or abuse, depression or anxiety, social isolation, de-conditioning of muscles, weight fluctuation and sleep disturbance–all in addition to physical pain.  “Our pain center programming has evolved to address chronic pain as well as these additional problems patients with chronic pain experience. Often, the co-occurring problem is an overuse or misuse of pain medication.  For many, their lives have become ruled by their use of pain medication,” said Dr. Ackerman.

“Many commonly used pain medications, called opioids, are synthetic narcotics that have opiate-like qualities,” Dr. Ackerman explained. “Like opiates, they are very effective in relieving pain. However, for many, they provide a “high” and the user finds him/herself driven to repeat the experience over and over apart from the need for pain relief. The real problem is that medication tolerance develops which means to obtain the same pain relief or the same high, it requires more of the medication. So, while these medications can do great good when used properly, they can lead to great harm when misused, creating serious problems within families, at work or even problems with the law.”

Some people take initiative to help themselves…they contact Silver Hill because they want to get off the pain medication and have failed on their own. Others are urged to do so by sometimes very frustrated, frightened family members. “It’s not always a physician referral,” stated Dr. Ackerman.  Others end up in an emergency room with an overdose…and find their way to Silver Hill for focused treatment.  Whatever the route, a patient at Silver Hill, emphasizes Dr. Ackerman, receives services with a first-rate staff.  “The clinicians on our staff who treat these problems are true experts.”

The first treatment goal is to target the reason for the chronic pain. “You need to begin with a thorough evaluation of the pain itself.”  A next step is helping patients detox from the pain medication by working toward a dose that’s the minimum amount possible to continue to address pain symptoms.

What follows is a reconditioning of the patient’s approach to pain management…one that doesn’t necessarily involve a medication. “From working with a physical therapist to teaching lifestyle changes, there are many ways to learn to manage pain besides grabbing a pill.”  The goal may not necessarily be a complete elimination of the drug either.  “If the patient needs pain medication, we teach how to administer it safely.  In a family situation, we might advise that one responsible person be in charge of medication administration,” said Dr. Ackerman. “Our overall objective is to separate the person from medication being misused, to improve function in valued activities and engage in a life full of meaning and purpose.”

Finally, and perhaps most critically, at Silver Hill, there are treatment teams and adjunct programs to address what are very often underlying psychiatric reasons for opioid addictions. “Some chronic pain sufferers may be depressed and stay depressed or develop fears and those fears rule their day,” he said.  “So a patient coming to us often doesn’t just come seeing us about their pain and their medication problems but also about the depression and anxiety in their lives too.”

To learn more about Silver Hill and its variety of residential treatment programs, visit silverhillhospital.org. 

Grace Bennett is the publisher and editor of Inside Chappaqua Magazine.

Filed Under: Westchester Tagged With: Chronic Pain, pain medication, Recovery Center, Silver Hill Hospital

Primary Sidebar

Please Visit

White Plains Hospital
Houlihan Lawrence – Chappaqua
Houlihan Lawrence – Armonk
Westchester Table Tennis
Houlihan Lawrence: Harriet Libov
Dodd’s Wine Shop
William Raveis – Chappaqua
William Raveis – Armonk
SWEAT
Raveis: Sena Baron
NYOMIS – Dr. Andrew Horowitz
Compass: Generic
Compass: Miller Goldenberg Harris Team
Compass: Sari Shaw
Eye Designs of Armonk
Compass: Natalia Wixom
Douglas Elliman: Generic
Boys & Girls Club
Compass: Aurora Banaszek
Rocks by Jolie B. Ray
Stacee Massoni
Armonk Tennis Club
Houlihan: Tara Siegel
Temple Beth El
Breathe Pilates and Yoga
Elliman: Pam Akin
Beecher Flooks Funeral Home
Le Jardin du Roi
King Street Creatives
Houlihan: Wendy Nolan

Publisher’s Note Regarding Our Valued Sponsors

Inside Press is not responsible for and does not necessarily endorse or not endorse any advertisers, products or resources referenced in either sponsor-driven stories or in advertisements appearing in this publication. The Inside Press shall not be liable to any party as a result of any information, services or resources made available through this publication.The Inside Press is published in good faith and cannot be held responsible for any inaccuracies in advertising or sponsor driven stories that appear in this publication. The views of advertisers and contributors are not necessarily those of the publisher’s.

Opinions and information presented in all Inside Press articles, such as in the arena of health and medicine, strictly reflect the experiences, expertise and/or views of those interviewed, and are not necessarily recommended or endorsed by the Inside Press. Please consult your own doctor for diagnosis and/or treatment.

Follow our Social Media

The Inside Press

Our Latest Issues

For a full reading of our current edition, or to obtain a copy or subscription, please contact us.

Inside Armonk Inside Chappaqua Inside Briarcliff

Join Our Mailing List


Search Inside Press

Links

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Digital Subscription
  • Print Subscription

Footer

Support The Inside Press

Advertising

Print Subscription

Digital Subscription

Categories

Archives

Subscribe

Did you know you can subscribe anytime to our print editions?

Voluntary subscriptions are most welcome, if you've moved outside the area, or a subscription is a great present idea for an elderly parent, for a neighbor who is moving or for your graduating high school student or any college student who may enjoy keeping up with hometown stories.

Subscribe Today

Copyright © 2023 The Inside Press, Inc. · Log in