Understanding our disorder is the first step in taking the power back. Acceptance is the second step. When we have been diagnosed as having an anxiety disorder we need to accept it, otherwise we will not be able to recover. The starting point is to accept: ‘This is me and I have an anxiety disorder’. [...]

We control every aspect of our life except the way we think, yet it is our thinking which is also a major contributor to the perpetuation of the disorders. Many of us are aware of the predominant role our thoughts do play. This was confirmed in one Australian study of panic disorder that showed patients [...]

Avoidance behaviour can be divided into three different categories. The first category is the avoidance of situations and/or places as an overall defence against further anxiety and panic attacks. Avoidance behaviour, either partial or total, does not necessarily mean a cessation of anxiety or panic attacks. For many of us it can mean relative safety [...]

Obsessive compulsive disorder means being obsessed by ‘persistent ideas, thoughts, impulses, or images that cause marked anxiety or distress’ (APA 1994). Unlike generalised anxiety disorder which is based upon ‘real life’ concerns, the obsessive thoughts can be a fear of contamination by germs, or a fear that the person might harm other people, or act [...]

A diagnosis of psychosomatic illness should not be made lightly. Firstly, the possibility of any organic illness must be ruled out. (Organic in this sense means ‘of the body’, and organic illness includes infections, autoimmune disorders, allergies and other problems with an identifiable cause.) Even if all organic diseases have been ruled out, there are [...]

Description and Possible Medical Problems Even a bodybuilder discovers by the age of 50 that his muscles aren’t as firm and toned as they were when he was in his 30s—or his 40s. With age, muscles lose their tone—even with regular exercise—and it takes longer for them to recover from exercise; for instance, instead of [...]

If you come down with a sudden case of diarrhea, you should take Pepto-Bismol, two tablets or tablespoons four times a day, until the diarrhea clears up. In severe cases, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic called Bactrim, which you’ll take in pill form twice a day for three to five days. A newer antibiotic [...]

Most of us know at least a couple of people who have emphysema and/or bronchitis. In almost every case, these two serious lung diseases occur in people who have been heavy smokers for most of their lives or have been exposed to excessive amounts of chemicals. One of the hallmark symptoms of emphysema is chronic [...]

Description and Possible Medical Problems If your normally rosy complexion has recently taken on a yellowish tinge, and if the whites of your eyes also start to look somewhat yellow, you may have jaundice. Jaundice is caused by an accumulation of waste product from the bloodstream that collects in the liver. This waste product is [...]

Your doctor will run a series of tests and perform a biopsy to make a diagnosis. With proper and prompt treatment, I have many patients with lymphoma who have lived well into their 80s and 90s. Radiation therapy is the primary form of treatment for Hodgkin’s disease; chemotherapy may also be used. In some cases [...]