Dr. Elissa P Benedek 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...

As children grow, they go through several emotional and mental transformations. Some children become too shy to confront another person, while others become too mischievous. However, it becomes difficult for parents to determine their children’s behavior when they react unexpectedly to a...

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...

Knowing the warning signs of an eating disorder is important, since the early detection of an existing or developing eating disorder will give a sufferer the help he or she needs sooner. Detecting the warning signs may not always be easy. When someone has an eating disorder, they usually feel...

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...