Does your child tend to feel nervous about every little thing? Do they avoid playdates, have trouble sleeping, or frequently have stomachaches for no apparent reason? These issues may seem like ordinary behaviors, but in some cases, they could be signs of a childhood anxiety disorder. We all occasionally struggle with nervousness, fear, and worry in the face of stressful circumstances or significant life changes. But for those with anxiety disorders, even nonthreatening everyday events or tasks can cause an excess amount of worry and anxiousness. In children especially, anxiety can derail an e ..read more

Does your child seem to have mood swings that are much more dramatic than others their age. Are these rollercoaster emotions characterized by intense highs and lows? Do they cycle through high-energy periods followed by depressive episodes that last hours, days, weeks, or months? Are these ups and downs causing problems in their relationships or school studies, or making it difficult for them to complete everyday tasks? Does their recent behavior seem out of character? While most children and teens experience occasional moodiness and even temper tantrums, extreme mood swings may point to a dee ..read more

Do you or someone you love have trouble expressing negative emotions directly? Do you use sarcasm to veil feelings of frustration, anger, or hurt? Are you subjected to the “silent treatment” by your spouse or teen when they are upset? These are all examples of passive-aggressive communication. We’ve all engaged in this type of behavior, unintentionally, from time to time—or been the recipient of it.  But when it becomes your —or a loved one’s—mode of expression, it can cause tremendous grief for all involved, even jeopardizing relationships and the ability to succeed in life. Passive-aggr ..read more

As a psychiatrist with 15 years of experience, I have witnessed the challenges in treating mental health disorders like depression and ADHD. In traditional psychiatry, diagnoses are generally made based on symptom clusters without any biological data. For example, if you feel depressed, you visit your primary care physician and say you’re depressed. You walk out with a diagnosis of depression and a prescription for antidepressant medication. Similarly, if you’re struggling with focus and attention and you seek help, you’re likely to be diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (A ..read more

Does your child seem persistently hopeless or helpless? Do they lack motivation or interest in hobbies and activities they once enjoyed? Are they isolating from peers, more tired than usual, or experiencing changes in their sleeping or eating patterns? Every parent knows that children’s moods can shift quickly, especially in the tumultuous adolescent and teen years. But sometimes their behavior signals more than simple mood swings. It may be pointing to a deeper mental health concern such as depression. It’s not uncommon for depression to be misdiagnosed as a different mood disorder, such as b ..read more

The word psychiatry originates from the Medieval Latin psychiatria, meaning “healing of the soul.” Many societies have viewed mental illness as a form of divine punishment or demon possession. This has led to some very strange and unsettling things that have been prescribed to heal mental illness throughout the ages, such as leeches, lobotomies, and even exorcism. The history of psychiatry is filled with weird treatments. Some very strange and unsettling things that have been prescribed to heal mental illness throughout the ages, such as leeches, lobotomies, and even exorcism. Click To Tweet I ..read more

Blanking out on people’s names, forgetting appointments, having problems with short-term memory—these are classic memory symptoms of early dementia. But memory loss isn’t the only sign of dementia. In fact, there are many other behavioral changes that don’t have anything to do with memory that can be an indicator you’re heading for Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia. Do you know these early signs of dementia? In this blog, you’ll meet a successful businessman whose out-of-character behaviors were the first signs of trouble, and you’ll learn the 9 weird symptoms of dementia you need ..read more

The pain of grief and loss is an inevitable and natural part of being human. While the death of a loved one is one of the hardest losses many of us face, there are other significant losses in life too. We may grieve the loss of pets, jobs, relationships, homes, identities, or meaningful chapters in our lives. Some people are remarkably resilient, able to cope with grief and loss and eventually adjust to a changed life. Others, however, find themselves unable to adapt. Dealing with grief and loss is an important and fundamental life skill, one that our culture does little to teach. Thankfully ..read more

Are you someone who struggles with anxiety and depression inwardly, but outwardly presents a happy persona to the world? Do you worry that your anxiety symptoms or depressive symptoms will scare people away or jeopardize your career? Do you feel there’s something weak or shameful about having mental health issues? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re not alone. It’s not uncommon for individuals with anxiety disorders and clinical depression to hide their conditions from others. In fact, a recent survey by Kantar research, commissioned by the mental health organization See Chan ..read more

Can you imagine a world in which it’s socially acceptable to ingest cocaine or heroin in public, as a way to “loosen up”? Or a society in which methamphetamine is sold at the grocery store and gas station? Would you believe someone who says it’s OK, or even beneficial to your health, to smoke cigarettes in moderation? These situations might sound outlandish, but when it comes to the drug called alcohol, Americans believe all of the above are completely normal. Many people don’t even consider alcohol a drug, as if it requires a separate category of its own. This casual attitude, combined with w ..read more