EXPERT

Dr. Claudewell S. Thomas, M.D.

Psychiatrist

Claudewell S. Thomas, MD, MPH, DLFAPA, is an established psychiatrist who is currently retired ,, He received his medical degree in 1956 at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine and specializes in social psychiatry, public health psychiatry, and forensic psychiatry. Dr. Thomas was board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Learn More About Me

68 years Experience

Dr. Claudewell S. Thomas, M.D.

Specializes in:

Psychiatric Disorders
Public Health

Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
SUNY Downstate Medical Center
Not accepting new patients

My Latest Posts
My Answers

Empathy, Sympathy, Disability, and Death

The role and fate of the physician or healer in times of war have been continually unclear. Left to the discretion of authoritarian regimes that role has always become an agent...

Christmas and Disability

Anxiety and depression run rampant during the holiday seasons. For those still active in the labor force, office parties and shows of camaraderie are required despite prevailing...

The Profit Motive and Human Nature, Its Denial isn't Healthy

We have passed a week where gunfire has claimed more than 30 lives nationwide. This occurred just after Congress mostly based on the Republican house struck down an attempt to...

The Deserving Poor. Who Are They? What is the Definition of Deserving?

I have been thinking about the meaning of these things since having my gift of a purely functioning recliner deemed unacceptable because of a patch and having a price assigned...

Darwin, Wallace, and The Gophers

We have recently suffered an invasion of critters. As we have retreated inside because of heat, dust, pollen, and COVID, the birds, ants, and vermin have taken over patios, roofs,...

Authoritarianism Threatens Mental Health and Fitness

As the world situation becomes more perilous, the world's most successful democracy is reeling from internal divisiveness. ProPublica's expose of the Supreme Court has resulted...

Hate and Mental Illness

The state of Maine has been terrorized by an individual who has a history of mental illness. This person was diagnosed as suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and was apparently...

Eyeless in Gaza

Samson was bemused and betrayed by Delilah according to the Old Testament but regained his strength to bring down the temple of false Gods because his fundamental Jewish identity...

SARS COVID-2, COVID-19 Variants and the Future

The survival of the fittest is a Darwin/Wallace principle that has been engaged for over one hundred years. It has enveloped climate change, evolution, and natural selection....

Kindness to Others and Mental Health

I reported the death of a handsome coyote either from a snake bite or by ingestion of a rat killed by a pesticide. It took three weeks to get the rotting malodorous carcass out...

Wake, Woke, Civil War and the elderly.

Amid the distress of high pollen counts,bad air quality and the highest temperatures experienced by homo sapiens or any living creatures plant or animal,we the people are being...

Medical Tourism in Years Gone By Versus Today

With apologies for the problem of old age, I remember a scene of a monstrous crime involving an individual who sold both of his kidneys and who survived briefly with crude charcoal...

Medical Tourism Revisited with the Addition of Mega Gangs and Culture Wars

A group of 4 from South Carolina traveled to Matamoros. Mexico by way of Brownsville Texas to obtain cosmetic surgery for the matriarch of the group who is 50. They ran afoul...

Black History Month and Identity Perversion Black and Brown Views of the Mental Health Crisis

We are told of the collapse of the existing mental health service non-system throughout our 50 states and our territories. This collapse is accomplished by the upsurge in shootings...

The 39th President and hospice care.

The only President that I met, shook hands with spoke with briefly and whose expectations I could not possibly meet (see the Chinese circle of life in a much earlier blog) has...

A one-half million dollar miss? Does it redefine the deserving poor?

The scaling up of weaponry assistance to Ukraine is coming under scrutiny as supertankers and rockets bring NATO members and potential applicants closer to the 2% of GPD that is...

Chinese Weather Balloon or Spy ship? American Musketry

The Chinese balloon that traveled a long way to mysteriously end up in surveillance range of U. S. classified military installations has been shot down within a 12-mile radius...

News and Health

The relationship between news and health seems to depend on factors on both sides of the equation. News availability has been rocketed by the worldwide internet. Countries which...

Classification and Personally. Is psychopathology ever involved?

I was recently told that there was no need for up-to-date spyware since everything was already hacked. With the number of notifications offering restitution as part of class action,...

Racism, Health, and Mental Health

The brutal beating of Tyre Nichols resulting in his death can't be ignored. Have we not evolved since the brutal beating of Rodney King some thirty years ago? Why can't we all...

I am suddenly binge eating. Is it a mental disorder?

Binge eating disorder is a serious mental problem requiring psychiatric or psychological intervention. Psychiatric intervention carries with it the potential use of medication. READ MORE

Binge eating disorder is a serious mental problem requiring psychiatric or psychological intervention. Psychiatric intervention carries with it the potential use of medication. Specialty clinics and practices are appropriate for the treatment of this disorder which can be life threatening.

I feel negative most of the time. Is it a sign to be worried about?

There is not enough information to give you an answer. Important issues like age, sex, family history, general health, habits, length of time negativity has been present have to READ MORE

There is not enough information to give you an answer. Important issues like age, sex, family history, general health, habits, length of time negativity has been present have to be considered. Once again, a visit to your LMD is a logical place to begin. A visit to a mental health specialist can also be a place to begin.

How should a person requiring psychiatric help be approached?

A lot depends on the kind of friendship you have. If it is not solid and previously tested, it would be wise to ask him about his feelings concerning psychiatric help rather than READ MORE

A lot depends on the kind of friendship you have. If it is not solid and previously tested, it would be wise to ask him about his feelings concerning psychiatric help rather than proposing it.

I discovered anti-depressant pills in my daughter's cupboard yesterday. How should I confront her on this?

Asking her while explaining how you found them should not be a confrontation. I don't know how the two of you have been interacting. Are there no other family members to involve? READ MORE

Asking her while explaining how you found them should not be a confrontation. I don't know how the two of you have been interacting. Are there no other family members to involve? Kindness and concern while respecting her proximity to adult independence particularly as part of family discussion can help reduce anger and shame, some usual components of "reacting badly."

Does my son need to go through some kind of counselling during my divorce proceedings?

It is not likely that he can be emotionally unaffected by the divorce. His father might be helpful in discussing the necessity for divorce, if willing and capable. The effect of READ MORE

It is not likely that he can be emotionally unaffected by the divorce. His father might be helpful in discussing the necessity for divorce, if willing and capable. The effect of the divorce can take a long time to manifest if ever. In any event, I would think that "watchful," respectful waiting is indicated. Reduction of rancor in the proceedings can help reduce trauma to your son.

Antidepressants and fibromyalgia

Consultation with a neuropsychiatrist could be helpful. You might suggest that to your doctor.

What is the reason for constant negative feelings in my daughter?

Adolescence is a very stressful time. The reorganization of brain connections can produce distractedness, apathy, anger, or depression. Consulting with her school health service READ MORE

Adolescence is a very stressful time. The reorganization of brain connections can produce distractedness, apathy, anger, or depression. Consulting with her school health service and her academic counselor (with her permission) can sometimes reveal too heavy a load on a student. Try to ensure with the aid of your LMD that there is no physical problem, if all these measures fail ask about psychiatric consultation.

Can BP medicines cause hallucination?

Consult with your LMD about the hypertensive vacillation, ask him or her to review the medication for potential side effects. Some agents can produce euphoria and other mental READ MORE

Consult with your LMD about the hypertensive vacillation, ask him or her to review the medication for potential side effects. Some agents can produce euphoria and other mental symptoms or unmask early dementia. Ask about psychiatric consultation.

Is depression a sign of madness?

This sounds like a classical "reactive" depression; it should still receive medical screening. Your brother's LMD may choose to follow up (in the absence of physical findings) READ MORE

This sounds like a classical "reactive" depression; it should still receive medical screening. Your brother's LMD may choose to follow up (in the absence of physical findings) with an antidepressant or may refer to a psychiatrist. You can best help by keeping track, supplying bridging info (appropriately) to family and supplying supplementary family history of illness including alcohol use or abuse. Your willingness to be of help is likely to be well received by all and sundry.

Why do I have stabbing pain in my lower abdomen?

Your best follow up is a visit to your LMD. A visit by referral or directly (if you are authorized) to an ob-gyn specialist seems indicated.

Are there any exercises for the brain?

Yes, there are many brain exercises; the better exercises seem to focus on improving ones capacity for categorizing objects and ideas. Games like checkers and chess also seem to READ MORE

Yes, there are many brain exercises; the better exercises seem to focus on improving ones capacity for categorizing objects and ideas. Games like checkers and chess also seem to be helpful. Improving categorization seems to help memory. Memory facilitation seems to directly improve brain function.

Can a psychiatrist help with my memory loss?

The psychiatric specialization that deals with that is called neuropsychiatry. A careful total evaluation (healthwise) is called for.

Vivid daydreams

Vivid daydreams may or may not be significant depending on your age, your dietary habits, whether or not you are on medications prescribed or otherwise (cannabinol,ethanol,etc.), READ MORE

Vivid daydreams may or may not be significant depending on your age, your dietary habits, whether or not you are on medications prescribed or otherwise (cannabinol,ethanol,etc.), the length of time they have been going on, your family history, your general health etc. A basic health workup is the place to start. It would be good to know what causes the symptom that you are trying to control.

Is bipolar disorder hereditary?

There is an hereditary predisposition in bipolar disorder development. You can avoid severe worsening of the tendency by avoiding alcohol and marijuana. Maintenance of general READ MORE

There is an hereditary predisposition in bipolar disorder development. You can avoid severe worsening of the tendency by avoiding alcohol and marijuana. Maintenance of general health is desirable and early psychiatric evaluation for advisability of prescriptive intervention is needed.

I think I started binge eating. Is it a mental disorder?

Once more it starts with your general health. Check with your usual doctor to query your general health. Are there new habits that accompany the bingeing (smoking, pot alcohol)? READ MORE

Once more it starts with your general health. Check with your usual doctor to query your general health. Are there new habits that accompany the bingeing (smoking, pot alcohol)? Are you under undue stress? As you can see there are many questions to be asked and answered. Binge eating is something not to be ignored. To conclude that it is purely mental disorder, complicated as that is, is premature. Perhaps family can help answer some relevant questions.
Dr.Thomas

Is negative thinking a disease?

Negative thinking is a sign or a symptom.Your general health should be your first concern. LMD assessment is called for. If a clean bill is given then the twin duo of anxiety and READ MORE

Negative thinking is a sign or a symptom.Your general health should be your first concern. LMD assessment is called for. If a clean bill is given then the twin duo of anxiety and depression need to be looked for via mental health assessment (psychiatry,psychology,social work) team. Depression often has negative thinking as an early sign. Negative rumination (obsessional) is beyond sign but is a symptom of depressive illness. Remember start with a general health assessment.

Privacy and confidentiality with caregivers

Discussion with the psychiatrist and with the patient is called for. A mutually agreed upon posture may be arrived at. Issues like the nature of your caregiver status (family or READ MORE

Discussion with the psychiatrist and with the patient is called for. A mutually agreed upon posture may be arrived at. Issues like the nature of your caregiver status (family or not), family concurrence, if you are not and state laws need to be considered. If property disposal and/or a will are at issue, legal consultation may be necessary.

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