How Do I Know If I Have Borderline Personality Disorder?
My wife thinks I have borderline personality disorder. What is it and how do i know if i have it? Well, there is a lot of debate and controversy surrounding...
Is Shock Therapy An Effective Way To Treat Depression?
My sister was admitted to a hospital yesterday for clinical depression. She has tried several antidepressants to no avail. A doctor who has not treated...
Is It Safe To Take St. John’s Wort While Using Zoloft?
Is it OK to combine St. John’s wort with a prescription medication like Zoloft? Absolutely not! St. John’s wort may be a natural herb, but...
Diagnosing Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder In Children
My daughter, 14, has been struggling with severe depression, auditory hallucinations and some manic episodes for several months. There are days when she...
What Medicine Can Help Treat Manic Depression?
My husband is being treated for severe depression with Zoloft, and Trazadone. He has major mood swings from elation and boundless energy to sleeping for...
How Can I Switch Antidepressants Without Experiencing Panic Attacks?
I have been on Paxil for four years and have gained 40 pounds. I am 42 years old. I also want to quit smoking and the doctor prescribed Wellbutrin. I tried...
How Can Someone Get Out Of Deep Depression?
My mother has been on an antidepressant called Triavil for over 15 years. She also takes Ativan on a daily basis. Her energy level is very low, and she...
Can Irritability And Anger Be A Sign Of Depression?
I am a new mother of a six-month-old girl. Recently, I have been losing control of my emotions at times. My frustration quickly turns to anger that I cannot...
Are Women More Likely Than Men To Suffer From Depression?
The short answer is “yes.” A woman is approximately twice as likely to have a major depressive disorder or dysthymia (a less severe, more chronic...
Will The Side Effects From Zoloft Lessen Over Time?
Three months after starting on Paxil I was feeling too dragged down to continue so my doctor started me on 25 milligrams (mg) of Zoloft. I have been taking...
How Does Bulimia Damage The Body?
My friend’s daughter is bulimic. Should she be concerned? How does bulimia damage the body? Bulimia nervosa is a serious threat to physical and mental...
Is It OK To Adjust Prozac Dosages Without Consulting A Doctor?
My doctor doesn’t seem to care. I have taken Prozac as long as it’s been on the market, starting with one 20 mg tablet a day. After some years...
How Do You Distinguish Between Depression And Schizophrenia?
My husband has severe depression with psychotic episodes. He takes antidepressant and anti-psychotic medications. Recently the doctor has been asking him...
What Is Mixed And Rapid Cycling Bipolar Disorder?
I have mixed and rapid cycling bipolar disorder. I have looked everywhere for info but to no avail. Is this bipolar version harder to treat than the other...
When And How Can You Stop Taking Zoloft?
I have been on Zoloft (50mg) for more than a year. I am 38. Before taking the drug, I was always feeling down and had no motivation. Zoloft helped a lot....
What Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a neurobiologic disorder in which a person has recurrent obsessions or compulsions that are severe enough to be...
Does Zoloft Cause Disinterest In Sex?
I’m a 28-year-old woman who has been taking Zoloft for over a year. I have no interest in sex whatsoever. While the drug has helped some of my symptoms...
What Can Be Done For Seasonal Affective Disorder?
I live in Seattle and am surrounded by gloom nine months out of the year. I have been diagnosed with clinical depression and have been taking Zoloft and...
What Is ECT And Is It Safe?
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is a safe and effective treatment for major depression, mania, and certain forms of schizophrenia. Developed almost sixty...
Are Drugs Necessary To Treat Bipolar Disorder?
My husband has bipolar disorder and is not taking any medication, by choice, because of the side effects. He seems to be doing better without the medications,...
What Is The Difference Between Grief And Depression?
Ever since my stepfather died last year, I have been in a funk. We weren’t close and I don’t understand my reaction. I have been prone to depression...
Is A Rapid Heartbeat A Symptom Of Anxiety?
I am 24 and have recently been suffering from what I believe is anxiety. What scares me the most is the racing heart symptoms. Is this normal? Yes, people...
Is There An Antidepressant That Won’t Cause Loss Of Libido?
I’ve been depressed probably all my life. I’m now taking 75 milligrams (mg) of Effexor and 50 mg of Depakote 50mg daily. Becase of the sexual...
What Can Be Done For Depression Associated With Hysterectomy?
My mother had a full hysterectomy (removal of uterus and ovaries) about nine months ago. Soon after that she started feeling very afraid of being by herself....
How Can I Deal With Post-Traumatic Stress?
I was in a very bad accident a year ago. I had to have plastic surgery to re-assemble my face, among other injuries. Since this accident, I have been very...
Could You Tell Me About Reboxetine?
Reboxetine is the generic name of a new drug for treating depression. It has been sold in parts of Europe under the brand name Edronax. The manufacturer,...
Are There Over-The-Counter Medications For Depression?
Is there something I can buy over-the-counter for depression? It’s getting pretty bad and I’m desperate for help. I’m 53, had a hysterectomy...
What Are Some Ways I Can Minimize The Holiday Blues?
I’ve spent some time talking about the holiday blues — what they are, how to recognize when they turn into serious symptoms of depression (so...
Is There A Link Between Depression And Sexual Dysfunction?
I am 26, have been married for one-and-a-half years. I suffered from depression from ages 6 to 22 and was treated with antidepressants from 17 to 23. I...
What Is The Difference Between Social Phobia And Schizophrenia?
My niece and I have been having an argument about the difference between schizophrenia and phobias. I have social phobia and have been extremely shy all...
Is It Safe To Take Xanax To Relieve Daily Stress?
I have a son with Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy, a slow, progressive terminal illness. He is now 10. I struggle daily with trying desperately to...
What Is Vagal Nerve Stimulation For The Treatment Of Depression?
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a procedure that was originally developed for the treatment of severe epilepsy (seizures). In this procedure, which does...
How Can I Treat Panic Attacks Without The Use Of Drugs?
About five years ago, I suffered the enormous shock of a dear friend dying in a tragic accident. This was followed a year later by a stressful wedding,...
Where Does The Stigma Associated With Mental Illness Come From?
Why is there so much stigma and derogatory comments made about people with psychiatric disorders? I think it is pretty obvious that the usual reaction...
The Health Effects Of Taking Antidepressants
I have taken antidepressant medications on and off for many years. I do not seem to be able to stay off of them for very long without experiencing a relapse...
Is Bipolar Disorder Genetic?
My husband takes lithium for bipolar disorder. We would like to have a baby. Is there any information about possible effects on the baby if the father...
Depression Symptoms In Children
For the past three months, my 6 year-old nephew, Joseph, says things like, “I hate myself, nobody likes me, nobody loves me, I’m stupid.”...
What Is Social Anxiety Disorder And How Can I Treat It?
I think that I may have some sort of anxiety disorder. When I am around a large group of people, or even one or two people, I tend to clam-up and get really...
What Causes A Nervous Breakdown?
The term “nervous breakdown” is a lay term for what happens when a person experiences a severe disruption in normal behavior, thinking and...
Exercise To Treat Depression And Anxiety
Regular exercisers know that working out not only makes them look good, it also makes them feel good. Grandma knew about this link between physical activity...
Manic Depression And Schizoaffective Disorder
Manic-depressive psychosis (also referred to as bipolar disorder or manic depression) and schizoaffective disorder are actually two different mental disorders,...
What Are Some Problems Stress Can Cause?
It might be quicker to name the conditions that are not caused or influenced by stress. Negative emotional stress is something that can be hard to avoid...
Seasonal Affective Disorder Causes And Treatment
When winter approaches and the days get shorter, do you get the blues, feel sluggish and have low energy? Do you crave sweets and carbohydrates and gain...
Fear Of Friendship – Helping Your Child Conquer Social Phobia
Adolescence is tough enough without suffering from a fear of social contact. Kids with social phobia dread walking into the school cafeteria, have trouble...
Bipolar Disorder Often Mistaken For Major Depression
No one complains when they feel really good, and therein lies a problem. The hallmark of bipolar disorder, also called manic depression, is mood swings:...
Bipolar Kids – Seen, Heard, But Often Not Recognized
Shannon Rawls’s 6-year-old son, Daniel, is a personable, charismatic boy with no shortage of playmates–in his good moments. The trouble is...
Can Some Sorts Of Stress Be Good For Your Health?
The downside of stress has been well documented by data that links it to many health conditions including depression, heart disease, and gastrointestinal...
