The following questions are related to ‘Psychiatry’ at Ask the Psychologist: Online Clinical Psychologist.
This list is sorted chronologically, from newest back to earliest.
Q: There seem to be so many medications prescribed these days that alter brain chemistry. I often wonder why these drugs are prescribed when we don’t yet fully understand how the brain really works. I also wonder how safe the medications really are. They do alter brain chemistry, but they also have powerful side effects. [...]
Q: Do I have Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)? And if so, does Abilify help? My parents frequently fought when I was a child, and I blamed myself for their troubles. I began to cut myself, drink, and lose weight when I was 11. As I got older I began using alcohol and other substances more [...]
Q: I have been meeting regularly with my family physician who has been prescribing me 300mg of lithium carbonate twice a day and 10mg of Cipralex every alternate day. I have started smoking again recently and want to quit. I had a previous successful attempt by taking small doses of Lexotan (bromazepam), about 1.5mg to [...]
Q: I’ve struggled with periods of depression for years. Four years ago I started receiving counseling. I was also prescribed Effexor, slow release 125 mg, and have continued to take them. I have felt great for 3 years now with no psychiatric input. But I ran out of my medicine four days ago. At first [...]
Q: I have always wondered what it is that makes me different from everyone around me. I have been diagnosed with several conditions, including Bipolar Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, and Attention Deficit Disorder. I have researched Autism and Asperger’s online, and although I don’t believe I am autistic, I have noticed that I have some [...]
Q: I saw a psychiatrist for the first time ever a few days ago and have become increasingly uncomfortable with what happened during the visit. It began in a manner I presumed to be normal. He asked various questions and I answered. Initially, the questions were about my medications, relationships, past abuse, etc. Then he [...]
Q: I cannot get over some of the things I saw during my stay in hospital two years ago. Some of the patients were treated by the staff in such a way that I was relieved to get out of the hospital and grateful that I was not treated in the way I saw other [...]
