About Alzheimer’s Disease: Symptoms and Diagnosis

Alzheimer’s disease usually begins slowly. Mild forgetfulness may be the only symptom for a long time — and it is easily confused with age-related memory loss. In the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, a person may have trouble remembering recent events or the names of familiar people or things. They may have difficulty performing familiar activities. These symptoms are bothersome, but usually aren’t serious enough to cause alarm. In the middle stages of Alzheimer’s disease, a person’s symptoms will become more noticeable. The forgetfulness will start to interfere with simple daily activities — a person may forget how to brush … Continue reading →

About Alzheimer’s Disease

You’ve probably heard of Alzheimer’s disease… but there may be a lot you don’t know! Alzheimer’s disease is just one form of dementia — a brain disorder that affects a person’s ability to carry out daily activities. It is perhaps the most common (and best known) form of dementia among older people. Quick facts about Alzheimer’s disease As many as 4.5 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease usually begins after the age of sixty, though it has been seen in younger people Approximately five percent of adults between the ages of 65 and 74 have Alzheimer’s disease Nearly … Continue reading →

New Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Compulsive Shopping

A study performed to determine how many people shop compulsively found that almost as many men suffer from compulsive shopping as women do. The American Journal of Psychiatry published an editorial discussing whether compulsive buying is really a disorder, or whether it is really compulsive. Compulsive buying involves buying items you don’t need. Basically compulsive shoppers get a “high” from browsing for deals, or for items they think they need. A good indicator of shopping becoming compulsive is when you feel remorse after buying the product, you realize you don’t really need it and it will likely not be used. … Continue reading →

Stimulant Therapy for ADHD

Stimulant therapy is one of the most popular treatments for adults and children with ADHD. You’ve probably heard of drugs like Ritalin and Adderall; these psychostimulants help regulate impulsive behavior and improve attention span in adults, adolescents, and children with moderate to severe ADHD. So what do psychostimulants do? They help your brain increase levels of chemicals like epinephrine and norepineprhine — these chemicals transmit signals between nerves. The end result is that you can focus better, pay attention longer, and rein in those impulses. Stimulant therapy works in approximately seventy percent of adults and up to eighty percent of … Continue reading →

Managing Adult ADHD

Managing ADHD goes beyond just taking your medicine every day. Yes, your medications are important; missing a dose can have negative consequences. Help yourself remember to take your medicine — set an alarm, or use a daily pill holder so you can see quickly and easily whether or not you’ve taken your medicine. If your medicine has side effects that seem worse than the condition they are supposed to help, talk to your doctor about a change. There are other changes you can make to your life to help make your ADHD more manageable. Get organized. It isn’t easy to … Continue reading →

Post Partum Depression Not just for Moms

We already know many new mothers suffer from post partum depression, but no longer can we blame only our hormones: new dads are not immune to this disease. In fact, 10% of men suffer from post partum depression after the birth of their child. Fewer men are faced with post partum depression compared to women, but the difference is not very large: 10 out of a 100 men and 14 out of 100 women go through it. It is a considerable problem, especially when the depression persists without any treatment. The problem really starts when both parents are depressed! When … Continue reading →