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 [...]
A couple of weeks ago, I presented three psychopharmacology seminars in the Spokane/Seattle area. On the day of my departure from Seattle, a misty rain was falling making for a slow go to the airport. After dropping off the rental car, I scurried into the main terminal arriving at the security checkpoint 45 minutes prior [...]
How well do you communicate with your physician? Do you feel intimidated or inferior in the presence of your doctor? Do you ever develop “white-coat brain lock” when it comes to asking questions? When leaving the office, do you wonder what foreign language or in what tongue your doctor was speaking? If you answered yes [...]