MKSAP: 26-year-old woman with recurrent feelings of fear and anxiety
Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians.
A 26-year-old woman is evaluated for a 10-year history of recurrent episodes of acute-onset feelings of fear and anxiety. These episodes initially occurred approximately 4 times per year but for the past 3 months have been occurring once or twice per month, especially when she is under stress. She describes the episodes as paroxysmal attacks of fear and anxiety associated with a dry mouth and a consistent “roller coaster” sensation in her stomach that typically last 15 seconds to 1 minute. With more ...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - August 6, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: < a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/mksap" rel="tag" > mksap < /a > Tags: Conditions Neurology Source Type: blogs
9 Socialization Tips for People with Social Anxiety
When you suffer from social anxiety and receive an invitation to attend an event, your first reaction is usually “ugh, how am I going to get out of this one?” — followed by the feeling of intense guilt when you start to think about how your refusal may sadden the host.
What happens next usually involves a rollercoaster of emotions: intense fear, dread, panic, and sometimes tears. The emotions eventually settle — until the date approaches and you realize you have to make a decision.
So what do you do next? Well, if you decide to go, then you need to make a plan.
Ask if you can bring a friend. Bring...
Source: World of Psychology - July 25, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Anjail Ameen-Rice, LCSW Tags: Anxiety and Panic Disorders General Psychology Self-Help Emotion Fear fight or flight Making Friends Social Anxiety social life socializing Worry Source Type: blogs
Dear Friends: Why My Anxiety Ruined Our Relationships
It’s not for the reasons you think.
Dear Ex-Friends,
You might have remembered the first time we met. More than likely we instantaneously clicked and thought we would become BFFs. We probably called each other almost every other day and planned out life events together. We probably really loved to be in each other’s company because we were just “so much alike,” and I couldn’t speak highly enough of you.
10 Things Your Friend With Anxiety Wants You To Know
Do you remember that time we saw that concert together? How about that time we sung karaoke until 3 AM and got piss drunk? Or that time I w...
Source: World of Psychology - July 21, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Psych Central Staff Tags: Anxiety and Panic Bipolar Disorders Friends Publishers Relationships YourTango Adhd Bipolar Disorder breakup Cyclothymic Disorder GAD General Anxiety Disorder Panic Attacks Psychotherapy Therapist Source Type: blogs
Maternal Mental Health Screening: What I Wished I’d Had
When I was pregnant back in 1997, I wish my doctor had told me I might be at risk for postpartum depression. Her words wouldn’t have alarmed me. They would have prompted me to get treatment when the darkness did indeed hit.
During my six-week postpartum checkup when I was at my worst, I wish my OB/GYN had handed me a mental health screening and explained the difference between the “blues” and depression.
Perhaps I would have lied on the screening, although I doubt it. At the time I was desperately trapped inside my terrified silence. Only my husband knew how far I’d fallen until one night on the phone with my sist...
Source: World of Psychology - July 16, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Laura G Owens Tags: Depression Disorders General Health-related Parenting Personal Psychology Women's Issues Baby Blues Childbirth Hormonal Changes Mental Disorder Motherhood Obstetrics postpartum depression Pregnancy Source Type: blogs
16 Warning Signs You Might Suffer from Conversion Disorder
Conversion disorder is a mental illness when neurological symptom exists without an explanation.
Imagine you’re just finishing up your lunch break when you suddenly can’t move your legs. Up until this point, you were perfectly healthy with no signs of any kind of physical illness. It would be terrifying, to say the least — and this is exactly what happens when someone has conversion disorder.
“Conversion disorder is a psychiatric condition diagnosed when an impairing neurological symptom exists without a medical or cultural explanation,” Dr. Jared Heathman explains. “Symptoms must not be...
Source: World of Psychology - July 13, 2016 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Psych Central Staff Tags: Anxiety and Panic Disorders Health-related Publishers Stress YourTango brain Child Neglect Conversion Disorder Hypnosis Magnetic Stimulation Mental Illness Muscles Neurobehavioral Program Neurological Symptoms Physical Illnes Source Type: blogs
Battling Low Self-Esteem? You Are NOT Alone
You're reading Battling Low Self-Esteem? You Are NOT Alone, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you're enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.
Have you ever woken up in the morning hating everything about your existence? Have you ever gone to bed at night wishing you would not wake up the next day? Have you ever lived every minute hoping it would be your last? Have you ever felt hopeless, distraught, unwanted and worthless? And have you ever wished to stop feeling that way?
Because I have. A lot of people I know have. And trust me when I tell you it i...
Source: PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement - June 27, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Ramsha97 Tags: confidence depression happiness motivation self confidence self improvement anxiety build confidence inspiration life low self esteem mental health motivation tips pickthebrain psychology stress Source Type: blogs
It is easy to be led astray by the computer....
I saw this ECG lying around:The computer called this "normal" with no other comment.what do you think?It is amazing that the computer called this normal, as there are clearly abnormal QRST's in beats 3, 4, and 5.What are they?I looked the case up on the McKesson system because one can highlight the run of abnormal beats in lead II across the bottom (see red box) and then one is able to see these abnormal beats in all 12 leads: Now what do you think?This is clearly WPW. Among these beats there is clearly a short PR interval and delta waves. The QRS is very abnormal due to the pre-excitation.I looked at the patie...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - June 19, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Steve Smith Source Type: blogs
My attending is throwing scalpels. What do I do?
Dear Dr. Wible,
Thank you for the work that you do. I have been following your push for humane medical education for several months now. I finally decided to contact you after reading your article about how “burnout” is actually abuse. I am a med student entering my third year. I have been consistently hearing horror stories from other students about the treatment we will receive on our clinical rotations — doctors belittling us, calling us names, screaming and yelling everyday, throwing scalpels in the operating room, not giving bathroom or lunch/dinner breaks, manhandling patients under anesthesia, and many ot...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - June 16, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Pamela Wible, MD Tags: Physician Medical school Source Type: blogs
Why are Some Massachusetts Health Boards Willing to Protect Youth Smoking?
In what I can only call a bizarre phenomenon, a number of local boards of health in Massachusetts are sacrificing the public's health and protecting youth smoking under the guise of protecting adolescent health. These health boards have declared that flavored tobacco products represent a huge health threat to teens. But rather than banning the flavored cigarettes that are addicting and ultimately killing people, they are taking away the far less harmful electronic cigarettes that have helped many adults quit smoking.Case in point: Saugus, Massachusetts.Last week, the Saugus Board of Health voted unanimously to ban the sale...
Source: The Rest of the Story: Tobacco News Analysis and Commentary - March 14, 2016 Category: Addiction Source Type: blogs
Will Feeding Watson $3 Billion Worth Of Healthcare Payment Data Improve Its Decisions?
By ROSS KOPPEL and FRANK MEISSNER, MD
On Feb 18, IBM announced its purchase of Truven Health Analytics for $2.6 billion. Truven collects and crunches payer data on medical costs and treatments. IBM will combine Truven’s data with recent other data acquisitions from the Cleveland Clinic’s “Explorys” and from Phytel, a software company that manages patient data. These data sets will be fed to Watson’s artificial intelligence engine in hope of helping doctors and administrators improve care and reducing costs. Truven’s data reflects more than 200 million patients’ payment records. Collectively, Watson will now ...
Source: The Health Care Blog - February 24, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Simon Nath Tags: Featured THCB Ross Koppel Source Type: blogs
You won’t recognize Karen after Wheat Belly
Karen shared some “before” and “after” photos of her Wheat Belly experience.
“The first pic was from Christmas, 2014. I started Wheat Belly on Oct 15th, 2015.
“In 3 months, I went from 224 all the way down to 185! My husband also went from 278 down to 242. We exercised, too, about 30 mins a day, 6 days a week. We also walked on trails with our dogs for about 45 mins on Saturday and Sundays.
“I was pre-diabetic, depressed, sick, achy and had IBS, fibromyalgia, anxiety, and panic attacks, now all reversed. I can’t believe how I looked. I’m so happy now. I’m 40 pound...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - February 12, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Wheat Belly Success Stories anxiety blood sugar Depression facial change fibromyalgia gluten grains IBS Inflammation irritable bowel panic pre-diabetes Weight Loss Source Type: blogs
the wisdom of my therapist
I've been seeing a therapist for a couple of years and, at this point, she knows me really well. I honestly don't know how I would have lived through the last couple of years without her and only wish I had started working with her sooner.I've been thinking of some of the things that I have learned from her.Patients who advocate for themselves have better outcomes. My therapist used to work in a hospital and this is something she learned then. I find it very comforting, especially as I make call after call to make sure I get the information I need to know how I am being treated and why. I feel so much better when I know wh...
Source: Not just about cancer - November 30, 2015 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: conversations good stuff show and tell things i do for my health Source Type: blogs
Seeking help for mental health problems: Change the culture for providers
“I don’t need meds,” the young psychology major told me confidently. “Or therapy really. Maybe I’ll just touch base with you every once in a while. I should be able to handle this on my own.” The young woman’s physician had been concerned enough in a recent visit about this patient’s panic attacks and passive suicidal ideation to refer her to meet with me for a primary care psychology consultation. Yet just a few weeks later, she sat in front of me letting me know that she can “handle” these problems.
For better or for worse, this young woman picked a terrible day to talk about “handling” concerns w...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - September 23, 2015 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Katie Fortenberry, PhD Tags: Physician Medical school Psychiatry Source Type: blogs
Shanda’s life and health turnaround on the Wheat Belly lifestyle
Shanda shared her impressive experience living the Wheat Belly lifestyle:
“I am in shock right now. I just found a picture of me before starting my journey in 2012. You gave me my life back.
“I used to have IBS symptoms, UTI [urinary tract infection] symptoms (with no infection), debilitating lower abdominal pains that no doctor could ever figure out. I was taking massive amounts of pain killers. My anxiety got to the point of panic attacks (I felt like I couldn’t breathe). I had chronic depression that I had since childhood. I also had horrible PMS problems, and absolutely no energy to do anything. To t...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - August 31, 2015 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Wheat Belly Success Stories abdominal pain IBS Inflammation irritable bowel panic attacks pms premenstrual Weight Loss Source Type: blogs
Bringing Dad home from the nursing facility was the right decision
For years, and especially as he entered his nineties, my father kept begging me not to “dump” him into a nursing home. He had seen too many of his cronies abandoned in this way by family members; his visits with these friends left him feeling depressed and hopeless for days. I assured Dad that I’d never put him in a facility.
It was an easy promise to make. I didn’t want him in a One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest setting with a Nurse Ratched supervising his care. I didn’t want him waking up at night disoriented and lonely. Because he was inching closer to death, the greatest unknown, I did...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - August 22, 2015 Category: Journals (General) Authors: Ronna Edelstein Tags: Patient Geriatrics Source Type: blogs
