Schizophrenia and Bipolar Illness Video
These are the most serious illnesses I treat as a psychiatrist. Often, they are not diagnosed correctly, or treated correctly.We tend to diagnose schizophrenia too frequently. Often, patients will respond to lithium or a mood stabilizer but are never tried on them. This tape gives insight into the diagnosing and treatment of these illnesses. It also helps families find the proper help for their family members.
Adolescent Depression and Suicide Video
I see a lot of depressed children and adolescents. Many are angry, hostile, rebellious, defiant. They present real problems for their parents. At one time it was thought that depression did not effect children or adolescents. We now know that was not true. Children and adolescents do become depressed. As a matter of fact, we lose 5000 adolescents a year to suicide, and for every 1 who succeeds, 150 attempt suicide. What's alarming in all this is that we are seeing more and more children who are suffering from depression. That's the bad news. The good news is that more kids are being treated for depression.
Treatment involves changing brain chemistry with medications. We know that medications are effective in treating depression in adolescence. Double-blind studies have shown this. Physicians who treat this population with medication also know that they are effective in treating depression.
Some kids also show the usual signs of depression. They are sad, depressed, cry a lot and their energy is down. They have difficulty concentrating and studying. Other kids exhibit irritability, anger and even violence. They are hard to get along with, especially at home. They withdraw, isolate themselves, from their families and friends. Their grades fall, and thy can't seem to study effectively. They also lose interest in athletics or other activities.
If your son or daughter has symptoms like these, they need to be evaluated by a psychiatrist who works with adolescents and children. Depression is a treatable illness, you can get help for your child.
Schizophrenia Video
Schizophrenia is the most serious illness I deal with as a psychiatrist. At times, this illness is very difficult to diagnose. We make this diagnosis too frequently. Often, patients who are diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia really suffer from bipolar illness. Patients who suffer from bipolar illness often respond to mood stabilizers, like Lithium or Depokote, and have a relatively good prognosis.
Schizophrenia runs in families. One percent of the population suffers from this illness. If your mother or father suffers from schizophrenia, you have a 10 percent chance of developing the illness. If both parents suffer from schizophrenia, you have a 40 percent chance of suffering from schizophrenia. If you have an identical twin who suffers from schizophrenia, you have a 50 percent chance of developing the illness.
Genetic factors play a very big part in the causes of schizophrenia. These factors caused abnormal brain biochemistry. The basic treatment plan in treating schizophrenia starts with the alteration of abnormal brain chemistry by use of medications.
Psychiatrists have used anti psychotic medications for years in the treatment of schizophrenia. Thorazine was the first anti psychotic medication that became available in the 1950's. Since then, newer anti psychotic medications have been developed. The newer medications are classified under the term "atypical anti psychotic medications". Clozaril is the gold standard of these new medications.
As time goes, newer medications will be developed. I’m also hopeful that the genome project will be able to isolate the specific genes that cause schizophrenia and open up new and better ways of treating this illness.
Each Video is approx. 35mins each
Schizophrenia Package