Dr. Lata Sonpal, PH. D.,FCHT

Dear Madam/Sir:
 
This change in behavior must be difficult for you as it does not reflect your self-concept. I would suggest seeing a hypnotherapist or a regression therapist to get to the roots and origins of your anger and anxieties and learn to release them.  Also, you would benefit from learning self hypnosis and meditation to relax your self so instead of reacting you would respond calmly.
 
Take care,
 
Dr. Sonpal

Dear Sir/Madam:
 
I am sorry to hear that you are going through the stress related to the divorce proceedings. I would suggest go and talk to your primary care and/or your cardiologist as you also see a therapist for stress management. Do not ignore your physical and/or psychological health.
 
Take care,
 
Dr. Sonpal

Dear Sir/Madam:
 
Sorry to hear that you are suffering from fear of falling asleep. As you know, sleep is very important for our well being. I would suggest you see a therapist that will help you get to the root and origin of the fear and help release it through Regression therapy. You can check my website about regression therapy at www.DrSonpal.com. You may also want to consult with your primary care Dr. or a psychiatrist. Do not ignore this as you need to start getting a sound night's sleep on a daily basis.
 
Take care,
 
Dr. Sonpal

Dear Concerned Parent,
 
You have not mentioned when did this moodiness and being angry at the smallest issue start. Is she menstruating? Is she using drugs? Is there something else going on in her relationships with her friends and classmates or at home with family members? So, it may be a good idea for her to be seen by a psychologist for counseling and by her primary care pediatrician to rule out premenstrual condition and other factors that may be affecting her emotions and lack of control over expressing them appropriately.
 
Take care,
 
Dr. Sonpal 

Dear Sir/Madam:
 
Yes, biofeedback can be very helpful in releasing tension. As the title says, it is feedback from your body that brings awareness, helping you then in choosing a more relaxed state. You can also add exercise to your daily routine to let go of stress. And complement these with seeing a psychologist or a therapist so you can get to the root of what is inducing the stress and deal with it and release it.
 
Take care,
 
Dr. Sonpal

Dear Sir/Madam:
 
As the mind and body are connected, you need to get an evaluation done for both. You can go for a sleep study to rule out physical causes. You can also track, i.e., write down what thoughts are triggering the irregular breathing and explore the underlying issues with a qualified psychologist or psychotherapist to resolve those issues.
 
Take care,
 
Dr. Sonpal

Dear Sir/Madam:
 
I am sorry to hear that your brother is suffering from Bi-polar disorder. Is he currently undergoing treatment for this diagnosis? Have you gone with him to see his therapist and/or psychiatrist? What is their advice? What is their prognosis? Are you seeing a therapist? Does this run in your family? Have you seen your primary care physician and discussed the issue with them?
 
There are so many factors involved. So, it is difficult for me to give advice without knowing more details of the situation. Exercise and relaxation including mindful meditation are healthy ways to release tension and improve sleep. Seeing a therapist to help you cope with your brother's illness is a good idea.
 
Not knowing your brother's age, I would suggest reading "The Bipolar Child" by Demitri Papolos and Janice Papolos. In this book, there is a chapter on the "Impact on the Family." "Loving Someone with Bipolar Disorder" by Julie A. Fast and John D. Preston is another resource. For yourself, "Feeling Good" by Dr. David Burns may also be of help.
 
Take care,
 
Dr. Sonpal 

Dear Madam:
 
Sorry to read about your postpartum depression and the possible side effects of the antidepressants.
 
Your question is legitimate. As I am a psychologist and not a medical Dr., I am not qualified to answer your question. My suggestion is to ask the prescribing Dr. as they are the experts in medicines and their side effects.
 
Take care,
 
Dr. Sonpal

Dear Parent,

As per you, this fear seems to be there all of a sudden, so you do need to find out what is causing it. Have him use his toys to express what he seems to be unable to express in words. You may also ask the teachers regarding any incident that may have occurred that he has not told you about. In case there is a school psychologist in his school system, you may want to consult with them. It is beneficial to get to the root cause of his fear so it can be dealt with. It is ok to ask questions. Otherwise, you will never know and will not be able to help him overcome the fear and move forward.

Take care,

Dr. Sonpal

Dear Sir/Madam,
 
I am a licensed Psychologist and not a medical Dr. Have you undergone lab tests, physical exam with a Primary care Dr.?  A psychiatric diagnostic evaluation with a Psychologist and/or a Psychiatrist?
 
Sometimes, people have a mood disorder due to a medical condition, e.g. hypothyroidism. Did you inform the Dr. who had ordered the blood test for thyroid level about the mood swings and fatigue and tiredness? What was their recommendation? Sometimes, there may be a combination of mood disorder and physical problems such as anemia causing tiredness, so my recommendation is to seek professional help for both physical and mental health.
 
Take care.
 
Dr. Sonpal

Dear Sir/Madam,
 
You do not say what kind of treatment your 18 year old son is undergoing, i.e., psychotherapy, medication management with a psychiatrist etc. There is not just one cause of depression. Neither is there a "normal duration" of treatment.
 
Depression could be situational (e.g. a loss), environmental (e.g. being bullied), genetic (e.g. familial), and/or physiological (e.g. related to a health problem). As there are different causes, so there are different modalities of treatment.
 
So the person providing treatment, for depression to your 18 year old son, would be the one to ask your question as they would have done a thorough evaluation before starting the treatment and will have a better idea.
 
There are some books that may be of help such as "Feeling Good" by Dr. David D. Burns, "Sugar Blues" by William Duffy, "the Mindful Way through Depression" by Mark Williams, John Teasdale, Zindel Segal, and Jon Kabat-Zinn.
 
Wishing your son a speedy recovery and a healthy life free of depression. Take care.
 
Dr. Sonpal

Dear Sir/Madam,
 
I hope that you have informed your dad's primary care about dad's loss of appetite along with other health problems to ensure that he is is receiving much needed help for his health problems.
 
As mind and body are connected, what affects one can adversely affect the other. His feeling depressed, isolating himself through aloofness along with loss of appetite are some of the diagnostic criteria for Major Depression. Some people experience increased appetite and others decreased, so some gain weight and others lose.
 
I would suggest that besides informing his Primary Care Physician, you may also want to encourage dad to see a licensed psychologist and a licensed psychiatrist to rule out major depression and receive appropriate psychotherapy and medication management.
 
Take care.
 
Dr. Sonpal

Dear Sir/Madam:
 
Sorry to hear about your brain injury.
Alan J. Parkin in his book "Memory and Amnesia an Introduction"  states that this subdiscipline of Psychology is "...concerned with the relationship between brain damage and psychological processes. The term is sometimes used more broadly to include any scientific investigation of the the nervous system's role in controlling behavior."   Neuropsychologists usually administer psychological tests and interpret the test results.
Not knowing what functions are impaired as a result of your brain trauma, it would be difficult for me to say how it would help. You need to ask the referring physician of their concern. You also need to convey your concerns to the neuropsychologists and they would be able to answer your question regarding how the tests that they administer would help you. Unfortunately, this is not my specialty.

Take care,
Dr. Sonpal

Dear Sir,
 
Which came first chicken or the egg is like spinning your wheels, so I would rather you spend your energy on finding solutions. Regarding medicine, as I am a licensed psychologist and not a licensed psychiatrist, that is out of my expertise area. You need to consult with a psychiatrist regarding psychotropic medicines.
 
Meanwhile, I can suggest some reading resources such as "The Alcoholism and Addiction Cure: A holistic approach to total Recovery, How to Heal the Underlying causes, how to end relapse, how to end suffering" by Chris Prentiss, "Feeling Good" by "David Burns", "The Easy way to stop Drinking" by Allen Carr.
 
Take care.
 
Dr. Sonpal

Dear Sir/Madam:
 
Re. not being able to put effort, mental and emotional into your daily tasks, you need help to find out whether it is due to a physical cause like anemia or an emotional cause like loss of interest and motivation or both. So I would suggest you contact your primary care physician and ask their advise to rule out any physical issues. Also, consult a licensed mental health professional to rule out an emotional cause. As mind and body are connected, you need to address both.
 
Take care.
Dr. Sonpal

Dear Sir/Madam;
 
Hope this finds you in the best of health and spirit.
 
Sorry to hear that the nightmares have returned. Think about what was the trigger that brought them back. How did you deal with similar triggers in the past that helped in stopping the nightmares..
 
I would not think that all your therapy was undone. Sometimes, we need a booster shot, so it may be beneficial to see your therapist again because you deserve a good night's rest without the nightmares disturbing your sleep.
 
So take care.

Dr. Sonpal 

Dear Madam,
 
Your concern about your symptoms and mood show an awareness that is commendable. Not knowing your background nor history of your symptoms it would be inadvisable for me to speculate. I would suggest you find a licensed Mental Health Professional like a licensed Psychologist or a licensed Clinical social worker to address your concerns regarding your symptoms and gloomy feeling. Upon evaluating you, they would be better able to answer these pertinent questions.
 
Take care.
Dr. Sonpal

Dear Sir/Madam,
 
I think that your treatment providing therapist or psychiatrist knows you and your condition way more than I could from your question! So my suggestion is to ask them this same question and explore the issue with them.
 
Take care.
Dr. Sonpal