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  1. #1

    Exclamation Ask me anything!

    Just wanted to introduce myself here. I'm Daniel, and I'm currently near the end of my psychiatry residency at the university of toronto. As such, I have vast knowledge of all things psychiatric, be it medication, alternative treatments,..anything to do with the mind!

    I love helping others so I want you guys to know that I'll try to be here on the forum for as long as I can (clinic hours are a bitch) and available to answer questions. Please remember that I am a doctor in training still, and any advice that I give you MUST be approved by your attending doctor first before you attempt any changes.

    I've also had my fair share of anxiety and depression in my life, so I can relate. I've made a full recovery, am doing the job that I love, and I'd you all to be able to rid yourself of these worries and just live life. And maybe I can be there to help.

    Thanks!


    Just a thought...maybe we can sticky this, mods?

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Location
    Hawaii
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    Hey Daniel, Thank you so much for joining us and lending out your thoughts. Please stay active as I am sure many members here could use some help. Thank you again and I will post up some questions myself =)

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Exactice View Post
    Hey Daniel, Thank you so much for joining us and lending out your thoughts. Please stay active as I am sure many members here could use some help. Thank you again and I will post up some questions myself =)
    It's my pleasure. I'm super busy these days, but ill find time to come on as soon as i can. pharmacology and psychotherapy are my specialization. -They also encompass the most effective treatment when dealing with anxiety or depression.

  4. #4
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    658
    Hey RT. Very kind of you to offer your advice here. I have a couple of questions:

    What do you think of beta blockers for anxiety (esp GAD)?

    Do you think "adjustment disorder" (DSM V - 309) is a clinically meaningful dx, or is it just a way to get psychotherapy approved by insurance companies that require a diagnosis?

    Of patients who present with anxiety, how do you determine which of them is most likely to respond to CBT?

    Thanks!

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Kuma
    Hey RT. Very kind of you to offer your advice here. I have a couple of questions:

    What do you think of beta blockers for anxiety (esp GAD)?

    Do you think "adjustment disorder" (DSM V - 309) is a clinically meaningful dx, or is it just a way to get psychotherapy approved by insurance companies that require a diagnosis?

    Of patients who present with anxiety, how do you determine which of them is most likely to respond to CBT?

    Thanks!
    Hi Kuma,
    Beta blockers have indeed shown to have anxyolitic properties, despite not actually being approved for them. Fight of flight response seems to be inhibited, and this method is used by many actors and musicians to calm stage fright. One big side effect from these alone seem to be night terrors and nightmares, and they have really bad counteractions with other drugs or food. Be careful with these.

    Adjustment syndrome, in my opinion, has a very vague criteria and lack of specificity of symptoms and behavioural patterns that need to be present for a diagnosis. Insurance companies usually need more concrete information for your claim, so your doctor might exaggerate or even make up symptoms to make sure you get your entitled treatment

    Your last question is the most difficult. Generally speaking, those who succeed in cbt are those who really devote time and energy to it. Medication is easier,just pop a pill and you're good to go. Cbt actually requires work, willpower, and an urge to succeed.
    I hope I have answered your question!
    - Dr. Dan

  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Posts
    1,244
    Yeah I got a question: Why do you think doctors have zero cure for anxiety and give out extremely addictive drugs at the drop of a hat that offer zero long term benefit. Please show us one documented case of actual anxiety cures where someone has been cured 100% fully from psychiatric medication. That means no need for meds or anything, just cured. Not dependent on mind numbing highly addictive substances. Tell me why I was addicted to Klonopins given to me by a doctor when I had anxiety, and I cured myself using all non conventional unpsychiatric methods.

  7. #7
    I know beta blockers are used by stage performers before a show to prevent stage fright but Do beta blockers such as propranolol 10mg help with agoraphobia if only taken before a stressful event like going into town or driving in busy traffic? Thanks

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by PanicCured View Post
    Yeah I got a question: Why do you think doctors have zero cure for anxiety and give out extremely addictive drugs at the drop of a hat that offer zero long term benefit. Please show us one documented case of actual anxiety cures where someone has been cured 100% fully from psychiatric medication. That means no need for meds or anything, just cured. Not dependent on mind numbing highly addictive substances. Tell me why I was addicted to Klonopins given to me by a doctor when I had anxiety, and I cured myself using all non conventional unpsychiatric methods.
    Keep in mind that anxiey, at its core, is not a disease, so it cannot be "cured". A normal amount of anxiety is necessary for your body to react to situations where it will have to either "fight or flight", to ensure survival. Here is where we get into disorders: anxiety that is [I]irrational[I] and overwhelming to the point where it impairs your every day function -that's a problem.

    So we are, in essence, not trying to find a cure, but rather to bring those anxiety levels down to manageable levels, and through various means of psychotherapy, to "teach" your mind not to be afraid or worried about irrational things ie. things or situations where you are not in any actual danger.

    I am sorry that you feel this way about benzos. You must realize that we as doctors want to do everything to help and to help quickly, and when most people come into the emergency room at camh in a manic state of fear or worry, these types of drugs are the only thing that will immediately provide relief. They can be addictive and within 6 months of taking them you might find minor impairment in cognitive functions, such as loss of memory or concentration. That's why anti-depressants are recommended for long-term anxiety relief.

    Do tell us, how where you able to "cure" yourself? I'm sure many people here would like to know!
    - Dr. Dan

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Ambition View Post
    I know beta blockers are used by stage performers before a show to prevent stage fright but Do beta blockers such as propranolol 10mg help with agoraphobia if only taken before a stressful event like going into town or driving in busy traffic? Thanks
    Generally, within a few hours of administration, they will have some effect on relaxing your blood vessels and slowing your heart down. A similar drug would be clonidine, which is also used for opiate withdrawal. Nurses use these all the time in the ICU.
    For your situation, I wouldn't really be able to say. You will have some immediate effect, but I don't know if that is enough for you. Good question to ask your doc.
    Cheers,
    Dr. Dan

  10. #10
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2012
    Location
    Haddenham (Cambridgeshire)
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    1,158
    PanicCured has a lot of stickied threads at the top of the forum regarding how they overcame anxiety. Everyone is different mind you. I prefer a medication free root myself. A lot here like the idea of supplements, but personally I prefer to get the necessary nutrients and minerals from a healthy diet. Since changing my diet radically and cutting out virtually all processed foods I found my chronic 4 year pains I was experiencing all over my body rapidly reduced. I'll be undergoing a second round of CBT in a few months which should be a lot more effective now i'm not in pain constantly throughout the day.

    Ed
    How strong, how costly, the urge to fight our fate and turn back time. But life is meant to be consumed, not preserved to ward off doom. One can surely die from fear, before the end is ever near.

 

 

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