Mental Health

Bipolar disorder is an episodic mood disorder, the hallmark of which are manic episodes - characterized by grandiosity, distractibility, increased activity, excessive involvement in indiscreet activities, racin... continue reading  about  Is there a test to confirm if you are bipolar? And would you have symptoms from birth or does it develop?

Congratulations on the hard work of addiction recovery. Sugar cravings are a problem for many people and can become all the more difficult when recovering from alcoholism. Research on food, mood, substance abus... continue reading  about  I am a 49-year-old recovering alcoholic and have three years of sobriety. Since I got sober I have not been able to control my sugar cravings. Is there any thing I can do?

The way your body metabolizes alcohol does not change if it is wine, beer or hard spirits. Addiction depends upon the quantity of alcohol that is consumed, not the type. A 12 oz beer has the same alcohol conten... continue reading  about  Is drinking hard alcohol more likely to contribute to addiction than wine or beer?

There are many potential causes of insomnia. If you have not done so already, I would recommend that you speak with your physician in order to determine the most likely cause of your insomnia. If, in the opinio... continue reading  about  What can I do if my SSRI is causing me to have insomnia? I've been on Prozac for a year (and it's been a huge help with my OCD), but I can't seem to string together more than two hours of sleep at a time.

Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are not the same thing, but both are commonly thought of as “alcoholism”. Alcohol dependence is defined by physiologic dependence on alcohol from consistent, hea... continue reading  about  I only drink a glass or two of wine a day, but I have a very hard time giving this up. Does that mean I'm an alcoholic?

Stress and anxiety can both either trigger asthma or mimic it. With asthma there would tend to also be some wheezing, cough or chest tightness. Also, asthma would respond to Albuterol but anxiety would not. If ... continue reading  about  I have had asthma since childhood. As an adult, I find that when I'm really stressed or anxious, my asthma gets worse. Is there a correlation? Also how can I tell the difference between an asthma attack and an anxiety attack?

I am sorry that you have lately been feeling so poorly. You mention a wide variety of symptoms, some of which often have non-psychiatric causes. For this reason, I recommend that you see your primary care physi... continue reading  about  I'm 30 and have had depression throughout my life. I'm on antidepressants, but lately I've been very antisocial - staying home or working late. I have a high-stress job and haven't been able to sleep. I also have headaches, mood swings, and weight gain.

You did not mention how long you have been on the Norco but if it is a few weeks or even a month there should be no physical withdrawal from stopping it. You may have well controlled pain because you are taking... continue reading  about  I've been taking Norco for post-surgery pain. I'm feeling much better now and wonder how long I should take to go off of the pills? I've been taking three a day and I'm afraid of withdrawals.

Depression, like many chronic illnesses (such as diabetes or heart disease), tends to run in families. For most diseases with a heritable component, having a close family member with the illness does not necess... continue reading  about  My mother suffered from depression. Should I be worried that I, too, will develop depression as I age?