How does lithium treat bipolar disorder?

Posted March 30, 2013

DEAR DOCTOR K: I have bipolar disorder. I've experienced the highest highs and the lowest lows. How can one medication -- lithium -- treat both extremes?

DEAR READER: Bipolar disorder is certainly a condition of extremes -- extreme opposites. On the one hand are episodes of mania. During these episodes people with bipolar disorder feel like they're "on a high." Then there's the other side of bipolar disorder: the sadness and hopeless feelings of depression.

What is the connection between depression and fatigue?

Posted March 25, 2013

DEAR DOCTOR K: I was recently diagnosed with depression. It turns out that depression has likely caused the fatigue I've been unable to shake for the past few months. What's the connection between the two?

DEAR READER: Everybody experiences fatigue now and then. Yet some people suffer from constant fatigue. There are literally hundreds of different diseases that cause a chronic state of fatigue.

Could I have post-traumatic stress disorder?

Posted March 23, 2013

DEAR DOCTOR K: A few months ago I was in a serious car accident. Since then I've been incredibly jumpy and have trouble sleeping. My wife thinks I may have PTSD. Could she be right?

DEAR READER: Post-traumatic stress disorder -- PTSD -- is a condition in which distressing symptoms occur after a major trauma. PTSD is often discussed in the context of troops who have served in war zones, but you don't have to see battle to get PTSD.

How is seasonal affective disorder treated?

Posted March 09, 2013

DEAR DOCTOR K: It's that time of year when the gloom of late winter sends my mood plummeting. What can I do about seasonal affective disorder?

DEAR READER: Summer is a time when many of us take vacations, and for younger people, it's time out of school. So lots of people feel a pang of regret when summer ends. I always do. That's normal. But some actually develop depression with the season's change. This is known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Is my teenager’s anger normal?

Posted February 16, 2013

DEAR DOCTOR K: My 19-year-old son is always angry. Is this a normal developmental stage, or should I be concerned?

DEAR READER: The late teenage years are tough. Childhood is over. The protection offered by home and parents will soon end. Teens know that they will have to make it on their own in the world. Becoming a part of the society of teens around them is very important. Plus there are big challenges ahead: starting college, entering the work force, living away from home for the first time. So it's not at all uncommon for teens to be moody, and that includes periodic outbursts of anger that they didn't have when they were younger.

How is anxiety treated in children?

Posted January 10, 2013

DEAR DOCTOR K: I believe my second-grader suffers from anxiety. How is anxiety treated in children?

DEAR READER: Many kids have anxiety disorders. There are several different kinds, and most are suffered both by kids and adults, such as generalized anxiety disorder, social phobias, panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Some anxiety disorders affect only children. The prime example is separation anxiety -- an extreme difficulty being away from home or loved ones.

Can a stroke cause depression?

Posted December 27, 2012

DEAR DOCTOR K: My father had a stroke and has become depressed during his long recovery. Will antidepressants help? I'm asking because of the damage the stroke has done to his brain.

DEAR READER: I remember a patient like your father. Before his stroke, he was outgoing, active in his church and community, and always cracking jokes. Then he was hit with a stroke that paralyzed his left arm and leg. Fortunately, his speech and thinking were not affected, but his personality changed completely. He sat in bed saying very little to anyone who came in the room, including his family, friends and doctor. When physical therapists tried to get him to do exercises to build back the strength on his left side, he was mostly uncooperative.

Is my teenager depressed?

Posted November 09, 2012

DEAR DOCTOR K: My daughter is a high school senior. In the last year she's become extremely sad and uncharacteristically moody. Is she just a "normal" teenager, or could this be more serious?

DEAR READER: A few weeks ago I was talking with a friend about his teenage son. Remarking that his son became upset very easily, he said: "I'm wondering if this is normal behavior. Then again, I wonder if there is such a thing as a normal teenager." Many teenagers have lots of emotional ups and downs. But in some cases a teen's sadness goes beyond normal "blues" and turns into clinical depression.

What is dysthymia?

Posted September 19, 2012

DEAR DOCTOR K: I was recently diagnosed with dysthymia. Can you tell me more about this condition? Is it the same as depression?

DEAR READER: Dysthymia is a form of depression. It is less severe than major depression, but usually lasts longer.

Why can’t I just stop taking my antidepressant?

Posted September 04, 2012

DEAR DOCTOR K: I've been on an antidepressant for about a year, and I'm feeling much better. Why can't I just discontinue it?

DEAR READER: There's actually a very good reason: If not handled carefully, coming off your medication can cause disturbing symptoms -- and it can set you up for a relapse of depression.

Anxiety and Depression