Dr. Michael Monaco, PSY.D.

Yes, psychotherapy can be very effective for anxiety, particularly Cognitive Behavioral psychotherapy which teaches how to change maladaptive thoughts and how to learn specific behaviors aimed at the reduction of anxiety.

Generally a panic attack lasts 5 to 10 minutes and rarely lasts longer than this but can feel like it lasts much longer because of the extreme feelings one can experience.

Yes, appetite loss is a typical symptom of Major Depression. There is no specific treatment for appetite loss per se, however most modern antidepressants in combination with psychotherapy can help treat the symptoms of depression to help your father to start functioning better and increase his appetite. A Psychiatrist can prescribe medications for depression, while a Psychologist can provide psychotherapy to help your father cope better and learn strategies for decreasing depressive symptoms.

Typically whenever thoughts get in the way of falling asleep it is usually due to what the Psychologist Frederick Perls referred to as "unfinished business." This is a term meaning anything that is bothering you that has not been resolved. The brain wants to come to a solution to this unfinished business usually when we're most relaxed and unfortunately that means right we're going to bed. The best way to counter this is to deal with your unfinished business before going to bed. There are two ways of doing this. The first would be talking to a supportive person about what is bothering you, and the second would be writing about it. Try getting some practice with these methods to put that busy brain to rest.