Changing Therapists  updated August 28, 2008
Dr. Schwartz responds to an email asking about switching therapists.

An Angry Man  updated August 28, 2008
It has always been the experience of this therapist that, when relationships fail, as they frequently do, each partner is equally at fault. In all relationships, people bring their “baggage” from the past with them into the present.

Aging and Depression  updated August 28, 2008
One of the major difficulties that afflict people as they age is depression. Besides the growing realization that life is finite and that one is facing their mortality, there are many other challenges that people encounter as they age.

Pick’s Disease and Multi Infarct Dementia:
The Tragedy of Dementia  updated August 28, 2008
Dr. Schwartz responds to an email question regarding Multi Infarct Dementia

Men and Multiple Stressors  updated August 28, 2008
When people reach the age of forty years old, they begin to seriously think about their mortality. For women, this is often expressed in terms of fading beauty and for men, in terms of concerns about their masculinity. When other stressors are added to these concerns it is not uncommon to experience depression. What are some of these other concerns?

Am I My Diagnosis?  updated August 28, 2008
Did you ever notice that when you sneeze, cough and sniffle you tell people that you have a cold? Did you ever notice that you will talk about someone you know who was just diagnosed with cancer, or heart disease or high blood pressure? When you talk about that individual, you say that they have cancer, heart disease or high blood pressure. The curious thing is that when it comes to mental health, the descriptive language changes

Seasonal Affective Disorder: I'm So SAD
Many people are now convinced that, with less light during the day, due to the end of the fall season and the start of Standard Time, it is inevitable that they will become depressed.

Extreme Depression and Suicide
Recently, a reader of The Bright Side sent this E-mail. The message has been modified to hide the identity of the writer: “I have a very dependent personality. I always seem to be in need of someone's approval for my actions. I don't have any idea about what it feels like to be confident and happy. I am suffering from major depression for four years now. I have lost interest in everything. I am not even trying suicide, which I have attempted in the past. I do not even have a desire to see myself happy.” This individual is correct about the diagnosis of Major Depression. It is unclear whether or not the individual has received any type of treatment or not. However, it is likely that there must have been some type of therapy if they had a history of attempting suicide.

Pet Therapy
One of our readers inquired about the use of a pet in a “No Pets” environment. This edition of Doc Talk will address that problem as well as explain Pet Therapy, Therapy Pets and Service Dogs. The individual who wrote the E. Mail was inquiring about Therapy Pets.

Learning To Cope With Depression,
Some Suggestions:
A recent study released by the United States Department of Mental Health found that more than fifty percent of all Americans would experience a mental illness some time during their lives. Yet, there are things people can do that will help them reduce the feeling of stress and pain that can lead to depression. Once mildly depressed, these same methods can reduce the low feeling, allowing everyone to approach life with a greater sense of confidence and strength than would otherwise occur.

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