Q. Have you noticed any patterns in types of schizophrenia and the afflicted person's insight into there mental illness? A. Yes. Studies estimate that approximately fifty percent of people with schizophrenia are unaware of their illness. This phenomenon has existed for many years. Typically, those who are not aware of their illness continue to believe they are not ill despite much evidence to the contrary. Often times, they will go to great lengths to prove they are not ill and formulate other theories to explain away their situation. It is thought that the lack of insight has its basis in a neurological deficit. To date, researchers have not confirmed this to be true but have found evidence of neurobiological brain abnormalities ...  
Read the rest of this question and answer... »

Q. I've been dating this guy for three years and I believe we're in love. I've known since we started dating that he enjoys wearing women's clothing and has thought about becoming a girl. I'm bisexual and a very open person so these things never bothered me. The thing is, this is the first serious relationship I've ever been in. He wears women's clothes often and it doesn't bother me, I've even helped him pick out clothes and shave his legs. I feel that if I had met him as a female I would have still fallen in love with him/her. I guess now that the relationship is so serious and the idea of marriage comes about, I worry about him having the operation. What ...  
Read the rest of this question and answer... »

Q. ... could see him masterbate if she walked by. My mother lives with my husband and me and her bedroom was at the time right next to ours. In the mornings when I would get up with the kids and the only ones who would be upstairs would be my husband and my mother. I on numerous occasions would go upstairs to get something and find my bedroom door wide open with my husband liying on the bed completely naked and masterbating in full veiw of anyone who might walk by. I would not only freak but was very baffeld as to why he would not make sure the door was closed knowing my mothers room was 2 feet away. I eventually confronted ...  
Read the rest of this question and answer... »

Q. Hi, I am a shy, sensitive male who never actually met any single, attractive women. Since last june, 2005, I have been seeing a female therapist who has been very kind and compassionate with me. I always thought that talking about masturbation with a therapist would be pretentious and that I might be looked at as strange. Everytime I go shopping, I look at the covers of glossy magazines and I see images of these incredibly beautiful women and I get so overwhelmed, sometimes to the point where it feels like my testicles are going to explode. I just want to know how to verbally approach and confide in her about my feeling overwhelmed by thoughts of masturbation without being looked at sideways. A. ...  
Read the rest of this question and answer... »

Q. My eldest daughter, 38, is ill. She shows signs of schizophrenia and I am sure she also does drugs. She is on permanent SSI. I have not talked with for a while as she swears at me and I don't need it. Especially when I ask if she has taken her meds. I don't even know the last time she saw a doctor. She hears voices, says people live in her attic, brings up people she knew when she was 5 years old and says they are all at her neighbors home laughing at her. And so on and so forth. Ihave called mental health, the PD and Sherriff, hospitals, everyone and because she isn't a 5150, they will do nothng. Tonight was ...  
Read the rest of this question and answer... »

Q: I think i am being stalked but am not sure the other day i was in carytown with my mom and my little brother i was eating at a subway when a man about 30 came in and immediatly started staring at me and smiling he got his food sat nearby and began to eat reading and glancing over at me we left the subway and he followed us out we walked into a furniture store he didn't go in but slowly walked out of sight still looking at me today me and some of my friends were in carytown i regognized him when i found myself being followed by him for atleast a few blocks he realized i saw him and walked into ...  
Read the rest of this question and answer... »

Q. Hi, ive had alot of trouble from the day i was born, my mum had a hard life before all of us were born (me, my brother,17, and my sister,20,)she was an alcoholic all my life and came ill all the time from it. Id see her have fits in front of me and she'd fall down the stairs when she was drunk, id have to go and live with my dad and his parents because she was in hospital, it was total hell! On the 4th febuary 2003, she was very ill and i was getting ready for school, she was shouting i need a doctor and my brother was talking to her. Well i left them to it and went to ...  
Read the rest of this question and answer... »

Q. Diagnosed as bipolar, age 35. Recently symtoms have worsened & become more expansive with violent episodes. With the severe depression that followed a manic period I have found it very uncomfortable to leave the house (nausia & dizziness). I am coming out of the depression somewhat but still fear that there is more wrong than Manic Depression. I promised my husband that I will seek psychiatric help, but can't seem to make the call. A. I cannot say for what your diagnosis is. Knowing the exact diagnosis at this point is less important than you going to get psychiatric help you need right away. Getting the help you need is paramount at this time so that you can stop ...  
Read the rest of this question and answer... »

Q. I'm a 38 year old man, I'm short and occasionally laughed at by people due to the fact that they consider me kind of goofy looking like Fred Flintstone or George Wendt. I'm not that overweight but broad and short, not very appealing to most women. I have no luck with meeting women that I'm interested in going out with and I'm angry most of the time. When I do meet someone I find a attractive with some kind of rapport it is nothing more than that a dead end. Eventually a boyfriend comes up. I'm aware that this sounds common and familiar and I know that it is. I feel like a second class citizen and find myself filled with hate when I ...  
Read the rest of this question and answer... »

Q. : I woke up a little after 4AM having feelings of anxiety from conditions caused by sinusitus/cold. Often one area of my airways is almost closed if not totally. When other complications exacerbate this condition, I have dreams or feelings of tedium and claustrophic content that wake me up, or keep me from sleeping. The feelings of tedium are like not being able to solve a tedious puzzle or something of great detail, but a VERY compelling feeling to do so, or else (whatever else means). Often the terrible feelings come from not being able to solve the puzzle or situation. It almost feels like I will go insane if it isn't figured out. I try to dismiss the feelings with emphasizing that the ...  
Read the rest of this question and answer... »

Q. : I have been in a relationship with my boyfriend for about 5 months now. On 2 or 3 occasions since we met, he has lost his erection during intercourse. He's hard when penetrating but along the way, he loses his erection. Also, when we're making out, he doesn't always get an erection. Sometimes I need to stroke his penis before that happens. This does not occur all the time, but enough times to make me wonder why. One thing I have noticed is that when I get excited and start to moan, it usually gets him going and makes a difference in his arousal. Other than the 2 or 3 times he's lost his erection during sex, he's maintained his erection and reached ...  
Read the rest of this question and answer... »

Q. : I have been severely depressed for over 6 years and on many medication, combinations of medications and presently on this combo of different medications. Zoloft, Cymbalta,Trazadone,Dextroamphetamine,Fioricet ( chronic pain ), synthroid and hrt. Do these medications seem a bit overboard? I am so depressed that I stay in bed all day and only get out of the house when absolutely an emergency. This is like living dead and I'm tired of it. I've been in therapy many, many times with no progress. I am unmotivated and dont enjoy any of the things I used to enjoy. i enjoy nothing...........any ideas? A. First of all, seek new medical evaluations. You must first eliminate any physical cause of your depression before assuming that it ...  
Read the rest of this question and answer... »