Suicide
Viewed psychodynamically, if depression represents anger turned inward, then behind every suicide lies the repressed act of murder. The act of suicide seals the lips of its victim to the betrayal, lack of love and empathy and unbearable humiliation that have led to self-murder. Because both suicide and murder are taboo, humans by nature tend to avoid open discussion of these subjects, even...
Read MoreSeasonal Affective Disorder
The cumulative effect of short, dark winter days often leads to feelings of depression. Our mood is dependent on sunlight. Our biological clocks that make up our wake-sleep circadian rhythms are part of the neuro-endocrine system that biochemically regulate brain functioning including the very feelings we have. Whether we awaken to the sun and spend sufficient time outdoors in full-spectrum...
Read MoreMood Disorders
Mood disorders are marked by an inability to regulate moods, be it anxiety, highs or lows, and irritability or anger. Itʼs like thereʼs a switch in our brain that goes on or off all by itself. We lose our perspective and ʻbecomeʼ our mood. Our lives feel totally out of control. Without feeling centered our identity itself is unstable. Therefore, often others can see our exaggerated and...
Read MoreTreating ADD and ADHD
Attention deficit disorder, with or without hyperactivity, affects more than our ability to concentrate in school. Lacking focus results in decreased motivation, interest, energy and self-esteem. Our lives feel disorganized, without meaning, coherence and contentment. When we ʻspace outʼ and are not fully present, our schoolmates, family, friends and co-workers all experience us as not...
Read MoreAnxiety disorders
Many people simply donʼt know what anxiety is. Our awareness of depression is often better than our understanding of anxiety. Fear to the point of terror is the source of anxiety. The many faces of fear include social anxiety, separation anxiety, generalized anxiety, obsessions and compulsions, phobias, tics, insomnia or nightmares, an endless list of psychosomatic ailments...
Read MoreBipolar Disorder Reaches Epidemic Proportions
The current bipolar (BP) epidemic differs from earlier forms of manic-depressive illness. BP is extremely common, occurring in as many as 1 in 20 individuals, affecting 15 million Americans both male and female. The most important symptom is moodiness. Mood may shift from high to low, normal to low or normal to high. Moods shift in a manner of minutes, hours, days, weeks or months. It's almost as if a switch flipped in the patient's brain without the patient or anyone else knowing when or why.
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