Dr. Sanjaya Saxena, M.D.

Your involuntary facial movements and sounds certainly could be due to a Tic Disorder, but there are also several other potential causes of involuntary movements. So you need to have a thorough evaluation by a Neurologist to diagnose exactly what is going on. This does not require going into a hospital at all. Tics and other Movement Disorders are treated by Neurologists, usually with regular outpatient office visits.

Sincerely,

You should first get a thorough evaluation to determine whether you have clinical depression, or some other disorder that can cause depressive symptoms. The choice of whether to start with medication treatment, psychotherapy, or both will depend on many factors. Antidepressants are well proven and work well for most people. Specific types of psychotherapy, namely cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT) have also been shown to be effective treatments. Most people with depression do best wth the combination of medication and therapy.

You should first get a thorough psychiatric evaluation of your depression. The choice of whether to start with medication treatment, psychotherapy, or both will depend on many factors. Antidepressants are well proven and work well for most people. Specific types of psychotherapy, namely cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and interpersonal therapy (IPT) have also been shown to be effective treatments. Most people with depression do best wth the combination of medication and therapy.

Fear of heights is one of the most common phobias. It is very treatable and responds well to cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). You should get an evaluation and CBT from a psychologist who has experience in treating anxiety disorders.

There is no cure for OCD, but it can be controlled and greatly improved with treatment. The two types of treatment that have been proven to work for OCD are 1) cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) using a technique called exposure and response prevention (ERP) and 2) medication treatment. The combination of CBT and medications works best.

Your brother should start by getting an evaluation by a psychiatrist or psychologist who has experience treating OCD, and starting treatment ASAP.

Yes, certain medications are quite effective for treating OCD. Serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) medications are the primary medications for OCD. Other classes of medications can be added as "boosters' to augment treatment response. The other treatment that is highly effective for OCD is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) using the technique of exposure and response prevention (ERP). Most people with OCD do best with the combination of CBT and medications.

Voices that someone hears when no one is around, that occur when someone is fully awake, and that seem to be inside one's head or coming from an invisible source, are called auditory hallucinations. It is important to distinguish these hallucinations from just imagining or remembering someone speaking, replaying a conversation in your mind, or having a flashback of a traumatic event you experienced. True auditory hallucinations can be caused by a number of different conditions, including schizophrenia, psychotic depression, severe manic episodes, and by certain drugs, including amphetamines (like Meth), cocaine, PCP, psychedelics, LSD, mushrooms, and others. Less commonly, they can be caused by neurological disorders, such as epilepsy (seizure disorders), severe brain infections, or degenerative brain diseases. The first important step is to get your daughter evaluated by a physician, preferably a psychiatrist, as soon as possible, to diagnose the problem and start treatment. Auditory hallucinations usually respond very well to medication treatment.

Psychiatry and clinical psychology are two separate professions, with different training, knowledge, and skills. Both can diagnose and treat mental disorders, but in different ways. Psychiatrists are medical doctors (with an MD degree) who specialize in mental health and psychiatric disorders. Psychiatrists have broad medical training, so they can test for common medical causes of depression and anxiety, including endocrine disorders, brain diseases, medications, etc. They are licensed to prescribe medications and specialize in medication treatment of depression, anxiety, and many other mental disorders. They are also trained to do psychotherapy, although many do not do much psychotherapy in their practice settings. Clinical psychologists have Ph.D. or Psy.D. degrees in psychology, but are not medical doctors, don't have training in pharmacology, and cannot prescribe medication. However, they often have more training and experience in doing psychotherapy than many psychiatrists. They also have expertise in doing psychological testing and assessment.

One specific type of psychotherapy is very effective for treatment of OCD. It is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) called exposure and response prevention (ERP). It has been the gold standard treatment for OCD for over 30 years. Other types of psychotherapy that don't include ERP do not work for OCD. Medications can also be quite effective for OCD. The combination of medications and ERP is the most effective treatment, especially when someone has not only OCD but also other disorders, such as depression or other anxiety disorders.