Dr. Debra A. Hill

There are many causes of anxiety from infectious, to metabolic, to genetic, to traumatic, to nutritional deficiencies, and also life stressors. Without a thorough evaluation, it is impossible to say what would be the best type of therapy for your mother, at age 78 or at any age. A thorough evaluation includes a detailed history of her life, family history, medical history, and comprehensive blood work. This can take a handful of visits to gather all of the information and then formulate an individualized treatment plan.

Sincerely,

Debra A. HIll, MD

I wish that there was an easy answer to why you are experiencing such sadness and emptiness. No two people are alike, and so that’s why it’s important to see a Psychiatrist who does comprehensive evaluation and treatment from a Bio-Psychosocial-Developmental perspective. Analyzing all of these factors will allow the Doctor to sort out which factors from all of these aspects of your life are driving your present feeling state. You may not have manic depression. It’s best to get a thorough evaluation by a well educated MD Psychiatrist who can put the whole picture together for you and design a treatment plan that fits your unique situation.

Debra A. Hill, M.D.

Possibly. But, I would be suspicious that the consumption of lectins in your diet may be causing your body pain. To understand more about that, I’d recommend you read, The Plant Paradox by Steven Gundry, M.D. Lectins are a group of inflammatory proteins that are in high levels in grains, seeds, legumes (including peanuts and cashews), and seeded vegetables like tomatoes, squashes, and cucumbers. They can pass through your gut lining and then fool your immune system which not only goes after the lectins, but also can attack organs, nerves, joints, and other tissues of the body causing a variety of symptoms from depression to pain to rashes, weight gain/loss, and a myriad of other conditions. Gluten is a lectin. Lectins are a plant’s way of making its predators, like us, sick so that we won’t eat them. This information only scratches the surface, but do read Dr. Gundry’s book. You can get it on Audible if you have the App and prefer to listen to the book instead of read it. Of course, without many more details about your medical history, I can’t say for sure that this is what’s behind your present symptoms, but it’s definitely worth reading about and considering.

Your daughter's situation is clearly very complex, but it sounds like she is clear that she wants to get free from this abuse, which is a sign of health. You are correct that you cannot force her to go for therapy. You can acknowledge her pain and struggles as well as her efforts to get away from this abusive relationship. Empathize with her as to how hard all of this must be for her, and let her know that you may not be able to be as helpful as a therpaist would likely be able to be. Of course, I do not know the nature of the realtionship between you and your daughter, but based on what you have indicated, this is what I would recommend. Best to you, you sound very concerned about her, and it is probably hard to see her go through all of this. Do keep in mind, that she is making healthy strides by getting away from the abusiveness.