Stress management

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

• May 21, 2013 10:47 a.m.

  I was wondering how many underlying mental health conditions can patients be diagnosed with? Also, why do clinicians have to write every single thing a person talks about into a patient's file? I have copies of my records and one of the notes in it states that there are "copious notes" elsewhere about me. Is there any recourse if a persons' psychiatric records have been shared with other staff and then these staff members make insulting comments about the person in front of other patients? I have outstanding grades from college and have worked several years; but I am not sure if a doctor or Social Worker had something against me and so they wrote something horrible about me or what?!?! Do the psychiatric tests given to individuals truly show what a person is suffering from or not? My personal experience from psychiatric test results has been less than favorable.

  - Faith

• May 18, 2013 7:44 p.m.

  My name is Starla. On May 15th just after Midnight my step-brother committed suicide. He did this with a single gun shot to the temple of his head. He had just turned 17 and had his entire life ahead of him. To make it easy to understand I will make a long story short. Brandon had three houses he lived at. 1 was with his mother. 1 was with his father (My Step-dad which made Brandon my step-brother) and 1 with his grandmother. Brandon was a typical teenager, he played video games, ate candy, hated chores, and did not like school. Don't get me wrong he was very smart. Brandon liked to wear jeans, a t-shirt with a long sleeve flannel and a beanie hat even in the hot summer sun. On the day of the 15th after Brandon was Life-Flighted from our town to OHSU (Oregon Health & Science University) doctors preformed tests to see if his brain could function. It was determined that his brain had 1% function and was clinically brain dead. The family had made the decision to allow OHSU to harvest his organs for donation. Today May 17th at 5:05a.m. the doctors were finished and turned off life support and it hit me that he was really gone and that he was not coming for his usual weekend visit. Brandon would stay with us every other weekend and 60 days in the summer. I feel very LOST and confused. I am 28 if it matters. I don't understand why he could have done this and I don't know what to do. My family is torn apart and nobody has answers and everyone especially Brandon's dad is all over

  - Starla

• April 27, 2013 7:34 p.m.

  Alanon and Families Anon. have meetings all over this country ans many others. Both use the 12 steps and AA as their base , and other parents and siblings of alcoholics and/or addicts share their experience, strength and hope. They work.

  - Sara

• March 7, 2013 11:06 a.m.

  I don't know what to do anymore. My son has been addicted to Meth for 20 years. He has been in and out of rehabs, usually not finishing any of them. He has lost his wife, kids & home, and is now back in prison again. His longest stay in prison was 5 years, but that didn't stop him from going back to meth. I have always tried to support him and help him with his addiction, but he just lies and tells me what I want to hear. I keep informed about this addiction, and usually they say something triggers the addiction, like a childhood trauma, which my son denies. Now people have told me to do the tough love, so I have not visited him since he went back to prison in february, but it hurts. So what I am asking, is the tough love the way to go or should I still be supporting him? w

  - Sharon

• November 8, 2012 10:54 p.m.

  I have been looking for help for a deep depression I have had for a while now due to a drug addiction problem I have with my daughter. She is 28 now. I don't know exactly when she started but more obvious it has been for the last 4 years. Wherever I turn to I notice is not help , there is only a bill for the insurance, a limited time to sort of listen, a prescription, and a next appointment. The root of the problem continues to be mine... I cannot help my daughter, seeing her like that I cannot get well. Where do I go? Who does really cares?

  - ELIA

• October 17, 2012 8:36 a.m.

  This is for Thelma. My dear I empathise with your pain and sadness. I married in 1971. In 2008 my husband had a massive seizure and was diagnosed with mestastatic melanoma in the brain. His oncologist told him to go home and put his affairs in order. His prognosis was three months. God healed him, however in February a small brain tumour was detected and in August a MRI found another five. He is unwell now but refuses to give in. Further treatment is not an option. Like you I have been grieving for a long time. While an attitude of gratitude goes a long way, I encourage you to seek professional help for depression. You need healing. It is not a case of masking the pain. I could not manage without. You see, when you are blessed with a happy marriage and you become one, when your partner is dying, the single part that is you, dies a little everyday too.

  - Kate

• October 12, 2012 1:15 a.m.

  I suffer with emetophobia and have done for the past 20 years. My fear is afraid of choking to death of my own vomit. Please reassure me this isnt possible if you are perfectly healthy, not drunk, unconconcious and have full control of your body.

  - Linda

• July 26, 2012 1:54 p.m.

  Can you have withdrawl symtoms after taking only one ativan for the first time (1mg)

  - lijj

• June 3, 2012 8:42 p.m.

  It seems even when you know you need help and you have asked for it, the further people go away from you. My husband took his life may 2004. I moved home to care for my mom, who is 91 now totally bedridden, I feed her change her, and now have her in hospice? But where are they I've asked my siblings for help or more just support. My eldest sister came today for about 30 minutes. She came day before yesterday about the same. We had a family meeting with the doctor and hospice nurses last monday and I haven't seen anyone else since. I'm lost the pain pills no longer take the anxiety away or make me feel like I can cope with my own pain it doesn't matter how many I take. My son who just turned 22 insists there is no point in going on in life, that even if he gets a job he never has enough to support himself. My daughter got a good job for where we live and just brought my first grandchild into the world there right upstairs and yet we are so far apart. The illness that suicide and end of life brings to some of us is unbearable yet we fake our way through each day, pretending everything is going to be ok. Living in a small rural town makes it worse as the shame of having mental problems, addictions, anxiety.. and all are to hard to share with old classmates some related by marriage now or in the past. I used to be the strong one and now I can't even help myself. But I must and so must we all. People are counting on us. There is no magic pill, just say another prayer and go on.

  - Jod

• May 6, 2012 12:57 p.m.

  From one loved one to another, in one way or another, My wife is 57, has trouble with eating, has Psoiatic Arthritis & is obese. She has been encouraged to eat right & exercise, for many years. She has been hospitalized for A-Fib recently. I expressed, as well as the Cardiologist, that this is it, your life is in jeopardy. She was scared those days, but those days are not at the forefront now. She said she wants to change, but does not. It has been many weeks now since her last episode, with a racing heart and chest pain. I feel that I am not affective as a change agent. Of course I do influence her, "honey, you need to put your C-pap on", & she does. She has tried many diets in the past & has been through many exercise routines, to no avail. She cannot do it alone. Her friends see that she is in trouble, but are too busy to get her to the swimming pool or help her get enrolled at the DAHLC here at Mayo, Rochester. I have asked her if she wants to tour that facility, but says she cannot due to preparing for our High School Seniors Grad. Party on June 3rd,20012. My wife has said, for years, that she will do diet tomorrow or just be too tired to exercise. There is always something in the way of her helping herself be healthier. Right now as I sit writing to you, I am thinking very strongly of gathering loved ones and friends that love her, to help with an intervention. As you say, "can't go it alone". To me,the time is now, there is urg

  - James

• April 18, 2012 3:26 p.m.

  I am a male looking for a mental counselor. is therapy more effective if I work with a male counselor than a female, or is there any difference, or would should I be looking for a female counselor? I am suffering grief, loss, depression, and loneliness

  - Tim

• November 6, 2011 1:02 a.m.

  My beloved husband passed away 2nd May last year.He had been diagnosed in April 2004 with bowel cancer.I know I have been grieving since the diagnosis. We were very much in love & last June would have been our 40th wedding anniversary.I have tried, acupuncture, naturopathy, holistic treatment, I see a psychologist fortnightly, I pray , I walk almost daily for an hour, I eat well, no take out or junk food. I have tried rebirthing/breathwork & I have just begun having healing massage.I am so against taking anti depressants, as they will only numb my pain. I am trying everything, but lately I seem to have more sad days of crying, isolation & mourning the life we had together before his illness. Yes, sadness comes to everyone unfortunately, my Father passed away when I was 12 & my Mother when I was 35, so I have experienced sadness of loss as I was very close to both my parents.I am thankful for all that I have, my wonderful son & daughter & a lovely caring son in law, but when the sadness is so overwhelming, I do think I have much to be grateful for, but in my selfishness, I want my darling husband here on my terms, before his illness, then my next thought is, Thelma, you can't have everything, just be thankful & grateful for the wonderful life you had & shared, reflect on the wonderful memories. Yes, so this is my story in brief.........

  - Thelma

• October 27, 2011 3:16 a.m.

  I also have sleepless nights because of fears and worries about what will happen or what will I become in the future and even I am bothered about the past situations that I haven't cope. One question inside my mind is that what is generalized anxiety disorder. I have been to several post about this matter because I am seeking information about how to prevent and cure anxiety disorder. I prefer to natural medications since I am afraid of being dependent to chemicals. Thank you. Letty

  - Letty

• October 9, 2011 2:30 p.m.

  Carol, I agree that often the church can do more for a person than the strange and limited professionals you talk about. In particular when it comes to reconciliation time.

  - carol

• September 28, 2011 6:32 p.m.

  I am a social worker by training and live in a small college town.I have never experienced so much isolation in my entire life. It is in the South and the professionals are so strange and very limited. However, I went to the University of Chicago.I have two siblings who are mentally challenged and we have experienced stigma everywhere, Somehow,this rugged individualism or Loser mentality needs to stop. Our culture and the baby boomers need to be more mature and try to reach out to family and friends and the church.

  - Carol

• September 27, 2011 4:55 p.m.

  What can society in general and medical professionals in particular do to shift away from the stigma of asking for help. The stigma includes not only increased insurance premiums, but also a diminished social status of being "less than" other colleagues who "toughed" it out. The rational and logical arguments in favor of seeking help are indeed compelling. But I think we need to be realistic about the very real financial, psychological and social impediments that prevent some from seeking it.

  - Alan

• September 27, 2011 8:59 a.m.

  You blog speaks the heart of most medical professionals to patients. We do need to try to help ourselves to the max first. However, sometimes when we ask for help in certain ways, we are being rejected or said a huge "No". This becomes a double blow. I have encountered this situation a number of times. How do I overcome this? Any insights?

  - Claire