Health and Psychology

I've been talking to people about brain injury ever since my second major concussion in 1997.  What surprises me is how isolated people feel, the tremendous amount of misinformation they are provided and the number of failed treatments they undergo that may worsen their condition and slow their recovery.  So here are the common "weird" symptoms post concussion.

Migraines:  Most people with concussion have post-concussive headaches.  These are inten...

I've lost 10 pounds in the past 2 months.  What's been interesting is reading the research on weight loss, hormones, exercise, and nutrition.  It's interesting because there's so much misinformation in the general media about all of it.  So here's some simple information and tips:

Check with your physician or registered dietitian before radically changing your diet and exercise plan.

1.  Eat single ingredient foods or cook from scratch.  This...

I really ought to have a category that says cats and psychology.  I like explaining things to people using animal models.  It's clearer.  It blames no one.  It makes talking about behavior issues so much simpler.

So historically my cat, Tatum-a three year old tortoise shell colored female tabby cat, has had weird medical issues.  I was told that by the rescue organization when I got her.  She'd had five foster homes and was on a turkey pate only...

Most people have never heard of a medical or health psychologist.  Conceptualized back in the 1960's and 1970's, medical psychologists were initially thought to be physician extenders, very similar to Physician Assistants now.  We were taught basic biology and human systems work as well as extensive interviewing skills and history taking.  In the 1970's the field of medical psychology split into health psychology and medical psychology.
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I will frequently ask new patients to get copies of their laboratory results and a copy of the note from their complete physical. I’m often met with the response that “The doctor said everything was fine.” Or “The doctor said everything was normal.”

In the last several cases in the past year where I have requested laboratory studies and a complete physical note, and have been told “everything was normal” what’s been present ...

All of the people in my clinical practice have some underlying medical or neurological disorder. Finding out about those issues starts with the first phone call. Most people with anxiety and depression will significantly improve by using an evidence-based treatment. So if someone has had an evidence-based treatment (CBT, Mindfulness, ACT etc.) and has not responded to treatment then some underlying condition may be involved. Here are all the things I screen for in looking for a medical c...

Okay I broke down and got a flu shot.  This is despite having recovered from influenza Type B and pneumonia a few weeks ago.  I never get flu shots.  Knowing someone who got Guillian Barre is enough to scare someone off those things and it certainly did me.

But there's something different about this flu season.  First it seems to be deadlier.  It's killed at least 30 people in Los Angeles County alone, and there are another 50 cases under investigati...

Hallucinations seem to mean a symptom of psychosis to many physicians. However many hallucinations have nothing to do with mental illness.

The most common hallucinations are auditory hallucinations associated with sleep disturbance. As rapid eye movement (REM) periods in sleep are disrupted the person loses a normal dreaming pattern. This can result in periods where the person is dreaming even though their eyes are open. This is often a side-effect of a medication such ...

The first thing I ask someone on the phone when they call to make an appointment is what the issue is that they are calling about. We have three divisions in the company so that question serves to filter and triage the call.

Is this a medical condition or medical issue contributing to a psychological condition?

These are the kinds of cases I take personally. So I want to know if this is what’s going on with the person so I can take the case and have...

Stress affects us in many ways, including:

• Emotionally – anxiety, depression, tension, anger, fatigue

• The way we think – poor concentration, forgetfulness, indecisiveness, apathy, hopelessness

• Behaviorally – increased drinking and smoking, insomnia, accident proneness, weight problems, obsessive-compulsive behavior, nervousness, drug use.

Stress does not cause illness. Illness is caused by a breakdown in th...