Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC 
OCD vs OCPD: What’s the Difference Reviewed by Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC · Board Certified (ANCC) · Reviewed August 2026 The two names look almost identical and the conditions are not related in the way the names suggest. OCD, obsessive-compulsive disorder, is an anxiety-driven disorder built on unwanted thoughts and the rituals used to quiet them. … Read more
PTSD vs Complex PTSD: What the Difference Means for Treatment Reviewed by Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC · Board Certified (ANCC) · Reviewed August 2026 Complex PTSD is the full PTSD picture plus three lasting patterns: emotion that is hard to regulate, a settled negative view of the self, and difficulty staying close to anyone. ICD-11 groups … Read more
Online Medication Management: How Virtual Psychiatric Prescribing Works Reviewed by Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC · Board Certified (ANCC) · Reviewed August 2026 Online medication management is a psychiatric appointment held by secure video, ending with a prescription sent electronically to your pharmacy. The clinical work is the same as an office visit. What changes is the … Read more
Psychiatric Medication Management: What Happens Month to Month Reviewed by Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC · Board Certified (ANCC) · Reviewed August 2026 Psychiatric medication management is the ongoing part of treatment that comes after the diagnosis. It runs as a cycle: take the medication as prescribed, track what changes, report side effects, adjust. Most of that … Read more
BPD vs Bipolar: How Clinicians Tell Them Apart Reviewed by Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC · Board Certified (ANCC) · Reviewed August 2026 Borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder both involve unstable mood, impulsive decisions, and relationships that take damage. Clinicians separate them mainly by how long the shifts last and what sets them off. Bipolar mood … Read more
Bipolar 1 vs Bipolar 2: What the Difference Means for Treatment Reviewed by Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC · Board Certified (ANCC) · Reviewed August 2026 The line between bipolar 1 and bipolar 2 is drawn at the high end, not the low end. Bipolar 1 requires a full manic episode. Bipolar 2 requires hypomania, which is … Read more
Can Adults Be Diagnosed with ADHD for the First Time? Reviewed by Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC · Board-Certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner · Last updated August 2026 Yes — adults can be diagnosed with ADHD for the first time, and it happens routinely. The DSM-5-TR requires that symptoms have been present before age 12, but it … Read more
Can a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Prescribe Medication? Reviewed by Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC · Board-Certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner · Last updated August 2026 Yes. Psychiatric nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) can prescribe medication in Florida — including antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and Schedule II controlled substances like Adderall. Florida grants PMHNPs full prescribing authority, meaning no physician … Read more
Do You See a Nurse Practitioner or Doctor for Mental Health? Reviewed by Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC · Board-Certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner · Last updated August 2026 If you are looking for mental health care and are not sure whether to see a psychiatric nurse practitioner or a physician, the short version is reassuring: for … Read more
Can a Nurse Practitioner Diagnose ADHD and Prescribe Adderall? Reviewed by Josie Desmarais, PMHNP-BC · Board-Certified Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner · Last updated August 2026 Yes on both. In Florida, a psychiatric nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC) can diagnose ADHD and prescribe Schedule II stimulants including Adderall and Vyvanse. No legal or regulatory requirement exists to see … Read more