Understanding and Managing Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Treatment and Prognosis
Neurosis Compulsive neurosis, also known as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), can be treated through various methods. The primary treatment options include: 1. **Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)**: This is the most effective form of psychotherapy for OCD, particularly a spe...
Dr. Zhang Zhehong Reply:
Although psychodynamic theories provide some explanations for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the current understanding primarily associates it with dysregulation of neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly serotonin. The mainstream treatment remains pharmacotherapy, wit...[Read More] Understanding and Managing Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Treatment and Prognosis
Managing Intrusive Thoughts and Compulsive Behaviors: A Guide
Persistent intrusive thoughts and behaviors? Dr. Tang: Hello. I have a few questions I would like to ask you. When I was in the third grade, I sometimes had intrusive thoughts that kept spinning in my mind, which felt very exhausting. After a while, it got better. However, this M...
Dr. Tang Xinbei Reply:
Dear friend: It seems that you have been troubled for some time by repetitive thoughts and behaviors. I sense that you may easily feel anxious, depressed, and worried about many negative outcomes, such as illness, accidents, or death. This has made it difficult for you to concent...[Read More] Managing Intrusive Thoughts and Compulsive Behaviors: A Guide
Understanding Affective Psychosis: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Support
Affective psychosis Dear Dr. Tang, Recently, I visited the Holy Mother Hospital for a consultation, where the physician diagnosed me with a serious illness card, identifying my condition as affective psychosis. However, I am unsure of its meaning. After researching online, I fou...
Dr. Tang Xinbei Reply:
Dear Xiao Jie, It seems that you are confused about your disease diagnosis! "Affective disorders" include several conditions, generally divided into "bipolar affective disorder" (also known as manic-depressive illness) and "unipolar affective disorder&qu...[Read More] Understanding Affective Psychosis: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Support
Understanding Sudden Behavioral Changes in Aging Parents
Father's issues Hello Doctor, I am from Malaysia and I would like to ask you some questions. My father is 58 years old and was originally a talkative and active person in social groups. However, about a month and a half ago, he suddenly became withdrawn and lethargic, as if ...
Dr. Lin Yanhong Reply:
Hello: Your father's condition seems quite unusual. Has a full body examination, including a CT scan of the brain, been conducted? I recommend seeing a neurologist at a major hospital first. If no issues are found, then consider consulting Dr. Lin in psychiatry.[Read More] Understanding Sudden Behavioral Changes in Aging Parents
Understanding Depression in Young Adults with Chronic Conditions
Depression Hello Doctor: I am a patient with essential hypertension, currently under medication control. Sometimes I feel that my hypertension is not a big deal, but at other times I feel frustrated and have a lot of complaints that I can't express. Every time I think about ...
Dr. Tang Xinbei Reply:
Dear Xiao Qing, Seeing that you are only twenty years old and already dealing with hypertension due to your constitution, it must be overwhelming to think about relying on medication for a lifetime. The daily struggle of taking medication, the limitations and restrictions on you...[Read More] Understanding Depression in Young Adults with Chronic Conditions
Understanding the Hereditary Risks of Psychosomatic Depression
Question Hello Dr. Tang: I am a patient with "neurotic depression." I have learned from some books that individuals with this condition may pass it on to the next generation. Is this really true? However, I understand that this is not necessarily the case, as the books ...
Dr. Tang Xinbei Reply:
Dear friend: Are you worried that your issues might be inherited by the next generation? Since the publication of the "Human Genome Project" at the end of last year, it seems that many diseases are closely related to genetics or heredity, especially chronic illnesses an...[Read More] Understanding the Hereditary Risks of Psychosomatic Depression
Understanding Psychoneurosis: Differences from Schizophrenia and Paranoia
Psychoneurosis Hello. I would like to ask what is a psychoneurosis? How does it differ from schizophrenia and persecutory delusions? Thank you.
Dr. Li Junren Reply:
Psychoneurosis is a collective term for a group of disorders, including anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, somatization disorders (where psychological stress manifests as physical symptoms), sleep disorders, and adjustment disorders. Although each disorder has its own etiol...[Read More] Understanding Psychoneurosis: Differences from Schizophrenia and Paranoia
Understanding Memory Gaps: Causes, Solutions, and When to Seek Help
Memory disruption Hello Doctor: I am in my early forties and have poor memory, often experiencing episodes of memory lapses where I cannot connect thoughts from one moment to the next, occurring at least once a day. What could be the reason for this? Are there any methods to impr...
Dr. Lin Yanhong Reply:
Hello, A-Yan: My name also contains the character "Yan," so I feel a special connection. Regarding your memory issues, it is common for memory to decline with age. If it is not due to having too many responsibilities or frequent difficulties in concentrating, pathologic...[Read More] Understanding Memory Gaps: Causes, Solutions, and When to Seek Help
Understanding My Father's Hallucinations: A Psychiatric Perspective
I'm not sure what to do? Doctor, my father has been taking an over-the-counter cold medication for many years. About four to five years ago, after he suddenly lost his job, he started exhibiting some strange behaviors, such as hallucinations, delusions, and talking to himsel...
Dr. Lin Yanhong Reply:
Hello: There are two possible causes for your father's psychiatric symptoms. 1. Organic factors: Your father has a history of long-term use of over-the-counter medications (some of which contain stimulants), or there may be identifiable neurological conditions affecting his ...[Read More] Understanding My Father's Hallucinations: A Psychiatric Perspective
Understanding Mood Swings: Navigating Medication and Mental Health
Bipolar disorder? I recently sought help from a psychiatrist due to emotional fluctuations. The doctor prescribed me medication, but I feel increasingly strange as I take it. I used to experience more depression, but on the first day of taking the medication, I woke up feeling as...
Dr. Tang Xinbei Reply:
Dear Ellen, After reading your letter, it seems you are quite confused. There has been a period of emotional fluctuations, but the information you provided is not very clear. I do not understand the background of your emotional lows. Is it due to physiological reasons, such as t...[Read More] Understanding Mood Swings: Navigating Medication and Mental Health
Understanding Hallucinations: Is It a Delusional Disorder?
Delusional disorder? Dear Doctor Tang, A few months ago, my sister suddenly fainted while at work. She underwent an EEG at the hospital, which came back normal. Since then, she has fainted two more times, but all tests have shown no issues. Recently, she has been saying that she...
Dr. Tang Xinbei Reply:
Dear friend: You are a very caring sister, and it's truly touching! Your sister's condition could be due to several possibilities: it might be epilepsy, as an EEG may not always reveal abnormalities. It could also be a brain lesion (has she experienced sudden headaches?...[Read More] Understanding Hallucinations: Is It a Delusional Disorder?
Understanding the Link Between Marijuana Use and Schizophrenia: A Personal Journey
I developed schizophrenia as a result of using cannabis? Hello, doctor: I was exempted from military service due to a diagnosis of schizophrenia. This was about eight or nine years ago when my lifestyle was chaotic, and I was using marijuana. I have been seeing a psychiatrist at ...
Dr. Dai Wanxiang Reply:
The causes of schizophrenia are not yet fully understood. However, it is generally believed to be related to both genetic and environmental factors. The genetic factors mentioned include various elements such as heredity, viral infections during embryonic development, and brain i...[Read More] Understanding the Link Between Marijuana Use and Schizophrenia: A Personal Journey
Understanding the Differences Between Dissociative Identity Disorder and Schizophrenia
Dissociative Identity Disorder and Schizophrenia What is the difference between dissociative identity disorder and schizophrenia? How can we determine if a patient is suffering from these mental disorders?
Dr. Li Junren Reply:
Schizophrenia is a chronic disorder primarily caused by an imbalance of substances in the brain that are responsible for transmitting messages between nerve cells. This condition often leads to symptoms such as delusions (e.g., the belief that one is being followed or watched, th...[Read More] Understanding the Differences Between Dissociative Identity Disorder and Schizophrenia
Understanding Stress-Induced Symptoms: A Journey Through Depression and Treatment
Every time I experience stress, it feels like this? Whenever I experience stress, I develop dark circles under my eyes, feel weakness in my limbs, and notice a significant decline in my memory and comprehension. Recently, I've even experienced soreness in my lower back and l...
Dr. Li Junren Reply:
Your condition does not resemble typical depression, but symptoms such as decreased energy, reduced interest in various activities, and impaired cognitive abilities (memory, comprehension, etc.) may lead a physician to consider depression as a possibility. Of course, these sympto...[Read More] Understanding Stress-Induced Symptoms: A Journey Through Depression and Treatment
Understanding Bipolar Disorder: Symptoms, Characteristics, and Treatment Options
What is bipolar disorder? Hello, what is bipolar disorder? What are the symptoms and characteristics of patients? How should it be treated? Thank you!
Dr. Li Junren Reply:
Bipolar disorder is a chronic mental illness that affects the brain, causing patients to experience intermittent episodes of mania or depression. 1. Mania: Patients exhibit a decreased need for sleep, sustained elevated mood, increased talkativeness, heightened activity levels,...[Read More] Understanding Bipolar Disorder: Symptoms, Characteristics, and Treatment Options
Improving Mental Clarity: Benefits and Risks of Ginkgo Biloba
How to take ginkgo biloba extract? Are there any side effects? Can you recommend any brands? Hello Dr. Lee: I often experience a feeling of tightness and restlessness in my chest while reading books or newspapers. When I try to memorize something or recall information, I feel a s...
Dr. Li Junren Reply:
Fatigue, anxiety, depression, insufficient sleep, or improper use of medications may all contribute to the phenomena you described. It is recommended that you try some simple relaxation techniques, which may help alleviate some of the issues. You can learn advanced relaxation tec...[Read More] Improving Mental Clarity: Benefits and Risks of Ginkgo Biloba
Strategies to Improve Focus and Alleviate Mental Fatigue
Inattention Hello Dr. Lee: I often experience a feeling of tightness and restlessness in my chest while reading books or newspapers. When I try to memorize things or focus hard, I feel a strain in my brain, and my verbal responses are delayed. Is there anything that can help impr...
Dr. Li Junren Reply:
Fatigue, anxiety, depression, insufficient sleep, or improper use of medication can all contribute to the phenomena you described. It is recommended that you try some simple relaxation techniques, which may help alleviate some of the issues. You can learn advanced relaxation tech...[Read More] Strategies to Improve Focus and Alleviate Mental Fatigue
Understanding Sleep Paralysis: When You're Awake but Can't Move
Conscious but unable to move? Hello Dr. Lee: I have been struggling with the inability to move my body after waking up for a long time. Although I am fully aware, I cannot move even a single finger. Usually, this happens while my eyes are open, and I can see my surroundings. Ther...
Dr. Li Junren Reply:
Human sleep can be divided into two distinct phases: Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep and Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep. These two sleep phases alternate throughout the sleep cycle, approximately every ninety minutes. During REM sleep, the muscles are effectively paralyzed, s...[Read More] Understanding Sleep Paralysis: When You're Awake but Can't Move
Can Ginkgo Biloba Improve Memory? Benefits and Side Effects Explained
Does taking ginkgo biloba extract enhance memory? Are there any side effects? Hello Dr. Liu: I usually don't think much, but when I do engage in mental activities, I feel a lot of strain on my brain and can't seem to grasp the concepts. While reading, I suddenly experie...
Dr. Liu Weimin Reply:
Hello Mr. Chiu, I apologize for the delayed response. Please forgive me. It is commonly said that "the more you use your brain, the sharper it becomes," which can be considered a form of learning effect. If you haven't exercised your brain for a while (for example,...[Read More] Can Ginkgo Biloba Improve Memory? Benefits and Side Effects Explained
Understanding My Symptoms: Is It Depression or Something Else?
What illness do I have? 1. I have experienced this condition twice: the first episode occurred during a heated argument with my boyfriend. In the midst of our argument, he roughly grabbed my collar, which caused me to break down. Suddenly, I felt a tingling sensation all over my ...
Dr. Zhang Zhehong Reply:
Hello Ms. Chen: Dr. Wu is currently out of the country. Regarding the first concern you mentioned, a detailed discussion and evaluation are necessary to rule out the possibility of abnormal brain discharges (epilepsy). If you are certain that you have never experienced loss of co...[Read More] Understanding My Symptoms: Is It Depression or Something Else?