Ask The Expert - Florida Neuroscience Center Blog

Men and women who experience depression have a series of treatment options: if the depression is mild, they may start an exercise plan, improve their nutrition, find ways to manage their stress and look at other lifestyle strategies. If this depression is mild to moderate, they may visit a psychotherapist and start a cognitive-behavioral plan that will hopefully help them bounce back as soon as possible. If the depression is moderate to severe, the next step is to consider all the previous strategies and to add medication therapy.

How about being depressed and pregnant? This recent article from the Wall Street Journal addresses this issue. While many women – and men – may be apprehensive about seeking for medication treatment, the same standards prevail: if you are pregnant and feel moderately or severely depressed, chances are, you will have trouble taking good care of yourself and taking good care of your pregnancy. While there may be safety concerns regarding a small risk for miscarriage (early in the pregnancy), heart problems (first twenty weeks), neurological depression (during the delivery) or some potential withdrawal symptoms for the baby (after the baby is born), discussing the advantages and disadvantages of being on medication therapy – or not being on medication therapy – is a must-talk about topic with your partner, your obstetrician, and your psychiatrist.

For more information about depression, visit: National Institutes of Mental Health and American Psychiatric Association

What would you prefer? To go to your doctor for fifteen minutes once a month, receive a prescription and go to a separate therapist twice a week with a total monthly co-payment of $100 and still feel anxious, down and depressed or would you, instead, prefer to go to one doctor one hour a month with full payment of $300 and notice the difference as your problem resolves and you feel well again?

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By Dr. Gaby Cora

Forbes recently published The World’s Happiest Places. Denmark followed by Finland and the Netherlands rated at the top of the list.

While economic health defined as high gross domestic product per capita and low unemployment rates were common factors in people experiencing well-being, other countries that were in the top ten did not match this trait. Instead, other lifestyle characteristics prompted people to feel satisfied with their lives.

Although there are nature-related factors that impact on our ability to experience happiness and joy, a favorable environment with people who enjoy their lives will prompt others to have a positive experience.

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In regular times, many argue they can’t “afford” to get sick. More so in a recession, many will rather go to work sick than miss their pay even if this means that they may get sicker at the job or that they may get other people sick at work.

Sometimes, parents send their sick children to school as they can’t “afford” missing work for the same reasons: the children feel miserable at school, febrile and unable to concentrate while the parent worries about their child’s well-being while at work. (more…)

By Dr. Gabriela Cora

In some studies, only about 70% of patients took medications as prescribed by their physician, despite almost all of them claiming to have followed instructions as given. Although as physicians we realize there may be difficulties in buying your medication or in following up our recommendations, we also want to ensure we can help you in the best possible way. As doctors, we understand that you may feel uncomfortable sharing very private information that may even make you blush. On the other hand, you have trusted us to help you recover and feel better than you felt before you came to us.

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By Dr. Gaby Cora

October 10^th is National Depression Screening Day.

The current economic and financial crisis has created increased pressure on all of us. As many struggle with the uncertainty of whether or not they will continue to have a job, others deal with the challenges of laying people off, many of whom may have been colleagues and friends. With stress reaching epidemic numbers, many struggle with staying healthy during rough times. Stress affects the most vulnerable systems: some people will experience frequent migraine headaches, whereas others will develop gastrointestinal problems, and others will have high blood pressure. Stress may trigger panic attacks in some people and will affect others with clinical depression.

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By Dr. Gaby Cora

I continue to be the doctor who integrates every technique that can be helpful as I help people on the path to well-being: with psychotherapy (particularly cognitive-behavioral and with a coaching style), pharmacotherapy (when necessary), and through coaching people through lifestyle strategies. I teach people relaxation techniques so that they can implement these on a regular basis. I continue to find the use of regression techniques very practical and would like to share some lessons learned:

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By Dr. Gaby Cora

Much has been written about the similarities and differences between being a coach and a therapist.

While the medical model has been invaded by third party payers, time restrictions, and stigma, the coaching model is viewed as a process of improvement and has boomed as an alternative. Today’s coach is yesterday’s shrink.

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By Dr. Gaby Cora

Many people who come to see me as an expert in mood and anxiety disorders have been referred to me by colleagues at the National Institutes of Health or the American Psychiatric Association. Many other people who find me are interested in my credentials and, they say, by the unique combination of being a medical doctor with an MBA, a wellness coach, and the business experience. Most of those who come to see me as an expert pharmacologist are open to exploring their concerns with additional techniques. They often start feeling comfortable revealing additional interests and seem to be nicely surprised when they realize I am open to combining as many techniques as I can to help them out.

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By Dr. Gaby Cora

I was interviewed by Miami Herald journalist, Andres Oppenheimer, to participate on a panel for his Spanish-speaking show: Oppenheimer Presenta. He interviewed Brian Weiss, psychiatrist and author of Many Lives, Many Masters, and, my favorite, Only Love is Real. Dr. Weiss is best known as the “guru” of past life regressions. He graciously suggested me to Mr. Oppenheimer to participate in his show.

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