Eye Don’t Know Why Eye Prescribe This Stuff . . . Additional Worries About Topamax (topirimate)

I got another bulletin of alarm in the mail the other day . . . I get these periodically. They come in a white envelope with a BIG red warning on the front that yet another major side effect was found with one of the many medications that are available for my use. This one . . . → Read More: Eye Don’t Know Why Eye Prescribe This Stuff . . . Additional Worries About Topamax (topirimate)

Adjusting Medicine Over The Summer Part I–Antidepressants

A common question as we head into the summer months is what to do about medications. Most parents (and some kids) are very reluctant to change medications over the school year since a return of symptoms covered by the medicine can be very, very disruptive. Summertime is the logical time to consider some changes. Antidepressants . . . → Read More: Adjusting Medicine Over The Summer Part I–Antidepressants

Peeling The Onion–More Is Not Always Better

Once again . . . I find I am on the receiving end of another doc’s desperate attempt to control symptoms. The layering of medicine on top of medicine is an inherent problem in Western Medicine. After all, we are spending more and more of our hard earned dollars to go to see someone for . . . → Read More: Peeling The Onion–More Is Not Always Better

Book Report: The Book I Wish I Had Written . . . The Do-It-Yourself Guide To Fighting The Big Motherfuckin’ Sad by Adam Gnade

Once loyal readers may have noticed I have not been posting too much recently. Not to say I haven’t thought about it . . . it just seems like between work and home and everything in between my creative juices were tapped just keeping things going. Life is like that, no? I have been reading, . . . → Read More: Book Report: The Book I Wish I Had Written . . . The Do-It-Yourself Guide To Fighting The Big Motherfuckin’ Sad by Adam Gnade

Tenex–A Tonic To Treat Terrible Tantrums

One of the frequent issues I help parents deal with is a child who is profoundly angry . . . the “too mad too fast over dumb stuff” syndrome. It is a frequent accompaniment to both ADHD-spectrum issues and mood disorders, and is typically more difficult to deal with than the other presenting aspects of . . . → Read More: Tenex–A Tonic To Treat Terrible Tantrums

The Cost Of Ignoring ADHD

I interviewed a young man this past week who had recently had to take a second medical withdrawal from a prestigious (and expensive) university because of debilitating symptoms of depression. It struck him in the spring semester last year (his Freshman year) and then again this fall. Over the summer, he had seemed to get . . . → Read More: The Cost Of Ignoring ADHD

The Quick Rush To Medicate

I came across a journal article lately that highlights an area of great concern for me and for others in the mental health world. A research paper published in the August edition of the Archives of General Psychiatry (a dense and difficult to read tome), identified a massive increase in the use of antipsychotic mood . . . → Read More: The Quick Rush To Medicate

Living With Bipolar Disorder . . . Picking A Partner–Lessons Learned From My Patients, Part II

I was going to write on another subject today, but was struck by the tone of this letter I received from the UK. I couldn’t help but respond. My original subject will wait a few days . . .

i have recently been diagnosed with bipolar. my fiance has turned really mean, puts me down . . . → Read More: Living With Bipolar Disorder . . . Picking A Partner–Lessons Learned From My Patients, Part II

Is It Worth It To Stop Your Medicine? . . . Only Time Will Tell

I have finally reached a situationally stable period of time in my life, and asked my Dr about reducing my meds. I was taking so many – 300 mg Buproprion, 1500 mg Valproic Acid, 600 mg Carbamazepine, 1 mg Clonazepam, 600 mg Seroquel, and 200 mg Lamotrigine. Ee gad! I have been diagnosed Schizoaffective,or . . . → Read More: Is It Worth It To Stop Your Medicine? . . . Only Time Will Tell

Maintenance Treatment For Depression . . . Medicine . . . TMS . . . Whatever Works

I had to field a call the other day from a local Children and Youth worker. Nice lady . . . but not terribly informed about mental health issues . . . specifically Major Depression. She was calling about a patient of mine who is trying to get custody of her grandchild after the child’s . . . → Read More: Maintenance Treatment For Depression . . . Medicine . . . TMS . . . Whatever Works