Over my ten years in private practice, I’ve noticed that my patients with panic disorder are some of the nicest people. They tend to be compliant and eager to please. They are hesitant to be assertive, and they tend to
In the 1970s, the psychiatrist Robert Spitzer was embarrassed. He — and many of his colleagues— were embarrassed by their profession. They felt psychiatrists must change how they diagnosed people. The early versions of the DSM I/II were, in their
Are you familiar with any good arguments for the soul? Many people today don’t know any. Here’s one I think you should know: the qualia argument. It runs as follows: Mary is a 55 year old neuroscientist. She lives in
Those who suffer from panic attacks often feel their body is turning on them. As their heart beats out of their chest, as they get tunnel vision, there is a strange sense that their own body is outside of their
Many of my patients with panic attacks are afraid to take Xanax— even occasionally. I often reassure them that, if they take it 2x/week, no habituation will occur. It’s also important that they take it a couple of times so
When you swallow a vitamin C tab, it doesn’t matter what’s on your mind. You can believe vitamin C is a waste of time, but your immune system will still benefit. Whereas other experiences are more dependent on your state
As a psychiatrist, I sometimes meet patients with bipolar disorder who went many years without any major issues. Then, something changes, and disaster strikes. Their notorious symptoms return. One patient told me he had used marijuana from age 22 until 35,
PTSD is difficult to treat. Take it from me, I am a psychiatrist with my own private practice in Hawaii. And I treat veterans (and non veterans) with PTSD every day. To those of us without PTSD, it can be hard
Psychiatry may be on the verge of a new era. Everyone knows that SSRI antidepressants, drugs like Prozac and Lexapro, have been around a long time. Their efficacy is overblown. Studies show they are no more than 40-50% effective. They’re
