I shudder when I encounter the words “studies show” or “clinical evidence indicates.” Evidence-based medicine is valuable only to the degree that what is presented is done so in a thorough, encompassing way. […]
A couple of weeks ago while on business in Denver, I walked past a newsstand noting the headlines of two major newspapers. The Wall Street Journal: “Greek default looms large.” USA Today: “Afghan man recounts soldier’s deadly rampage.” […]
If it so happens that you’ve got a son or daughter living at home who is of age and gainfully employed, but seems to have little motivation or inclination to “launch” themselves and assume the responsibilities of rent, utilities and other costs associated with living on their own, try the following tactic – assuming you believe it is time for them to leave. […]
I’m a fan of the famous advice column Dear Abby begun in 1956 by Pauline Phillips under the pen name Abigail Van Buren and carried on today by her daughter Jeanne Phillips. […]
We’ve all been hurt by someone or have found ourselves on the short end of some situation. And when treated unfairly, there’s a natural tendency to want to right the wrong or level the playing field, so to speak. […]
The absence of clear biological markers to aid us in establishing an etiological basis for diagnosing mental health disorders will translate into a manual that is more of the same. Lacking such markers, lists of symptoms will continue to be grouped into syndromes that are different in name only. […]
Diagnosing mental health conditions is more art than science – always was, always will be. The diagnosis of general medical conditions is not without an art component, but physical medicine has a major advantage over mental health medicine: the ability to objectify findings. Diagnostically speaking, there is an obvious, self-evident advantage to be able to confirm findings by way of blood work, scans and pictures (as in X-rays). In mental health, there is not one single blood test or reliable [...]
I’ve always liked the signature phrase that helped define the Nike Corporation, namely, “Just Do It.” I like this phrase because it simply and succinctly states the best way to learn something, particularly something new. […]
Here’s a breakdown of the role that gender plays in psychotropic medication response: […]
Antidepressants: As a pharmacological class, the antidepressants work far too slowly to be an apt choice as a suicide deterrent. The older cyclic agents can actually be fatal in overdose, particularly if combined with alcohol. This is because many of them block the actions of histamine, thereby producing marked sedation. Serotonin antidepressants, particularly the SSRIs, can increase suicidal thinking and behavior in patients under 24 years old, but they also probably decrease suicide deaths overall. Anxiolytics: Though the benzodiazepines carry [...]
