Dr. Karen L. Pierce M.D.

It’s normal for young children to feel anxious when they're separated from a loved one. However, when this fear occurs in a child above six years of age, is intense, and persists for more than four weeks, the child may have separation anxiety disorder.What is Separation Anxiety Disorder?Separation...

Regardless of the importance of non-medical treatment options for depression like talk therapy and physical exercise, none of them can be as quick and effective as medication. The primary form of medication for depression is antidepressants which help boost brain activity and alleviate depression...

Depression is usually signified by extended moods of sadness and a generally low mood even when events occur that should normally lift someone’s spirits. Patients generally ignore all positive stimuli, preferring to remain in a cocoon irrespective of external circumstances. At one stage, the loss...

An eating disorder is usually classified as any one of a broad range of psychological disorders, but more specifically ones that demonstrate eating habits that are abnormal or absurd. The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder. Anorexia refers...

Schizophrenia is a serious mental disorder involving a breakdown that drastically affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. The disorder has five subtypes, one of which is disorganized schizophrenia. Its very name implies the typical and predominant characteristics by which it is identified:...

It’s sometimes difficult to understand your kids and their behavior. One moment they are happy and the next moment, they seem sad or irritated. Well, this kind of innocent behavior in children can be considered normal under certain conditions, but not always. For example, anxiety is useful and...