On July 4, two hundred thirty four years ago, influential members of the Continental Congress, affectionately referred to as our founding fathers, were hard at work pursuing the arduous process task of declaring independence from the abusive, arrogant and autocratic governance of King George III. What I find strikingly poignant was how painful this ordeal [...]
How well do your clients communicate with their mental-health medication prescribers? Many clients develop “white-coat brain lock” when it comes to asking questions – particularly on the first visit – because one of the most prevalent communication gaps is between doctors and patients. Clinicians can help, here’s how: On a 3X5 index card, have your [...]
Non-medical clinicians train and practice in a world that is considerably different from that of physicians. With the employment of the medical model and the liberal use of psychotropic medications to correct the biochemistry of certain mental health syndromes on the rise, knowledge and appreciation of medical culture is more important than ever before in [...]
The placebo effect is likely as old as the healing professions themselves. Three hundred years ago, doctors purposely used inactive substances when they had no suitable medications to treat certain medical maladies. Placebos account for the successful treatment of depression, pain, asthma, arthritis, hypertension, insomnia and other conditions. In the classic placebo effect, a person [...]
I got to wondering one day last week about the future of psychopharmacology in the 21st century. Here’s what I envision unfolding: Psychopharmacology will be directed toward the observable and measurable characteristics that define mental illnesses by gene expression, RNA fingerprint, brain mapping, brain imaging and DSM categories with a track record of medication responsiveness. [...]
A reporter for a major national Men’s magazine recently contacted me and asked if I would comment on some of the surprising and common causes of low sex drive in men. Here are my responses: – A frequent, and I would say surprising cause of low male libido is anger toward their wives or significant [...]
- Fear is the sensation of “expectation with alarm.” It is the emotion we experience when our autonomic nervous system releases adrenaline, energizing us for “fight or flight.” In this sense fear functions as an absolutely necessary wake-up call motivating us to be hyper-alert, particularly when facing imminent danger. This hyper-alertness enables us to adopt [...]
Sixth-graders are ordering prescription medications over the Internet — illegally. And their parents haven’t a clue. That’s one of the shocking facts in “You’ve Got Drugs!” an annual report on Internet access to controlled substances from Columbia University’s National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse. The report, released late last year, also points out that [...]
We all procrastinate, and if you claim you don’t, there’s something other than blood running through your veins, as this phenomenon is simply part of the human condition. But that said, ask yourself if this sounds like you: After exhaustive research you’re still waiting on that one final scintilla of information permitting you to finally [...]
Thanks to everyone that attended my mid-June psychopharmacology seminars in Boise, Idaho and Salt Lake City, Utah. I sincerely hope that all attendees enjoyed and benefited from the trainings. More importantly, I strived to better your condition with regard to this subject matter, as all of you are entitled to a lasting return on your [...]