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Suggest Treatment For Symptoms Of Anxiety
Question: I have a son that thinks he needs hospital everyday from broken tail bone to constipation to e regular pulse to shoulder dislocated to now his rib broken
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
Your son's excessive worry and focus on possible medical problems may be due to an anxiety disorder.
You can start with his primary doctor, but it may be best to see a psychiatrist. If he is unwilling to see a psychiatrist, then do go to the primary doctor. A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant (SSRI) may be help him considerably. I would recommend this type of treatment over treating anxiety with anti anxiety such as benzodiazepines which may only sedate him and only temporarily.
An SSRI medication can help with obsessive thoughts, which I think are likely contributing here. Usually a higher dose of an SSRI is needed to treat obsessive thoughts with associated anxiety, but with this type of medication, start at a low dose and gradually work up. Starting at a low dose is important for your son in particular, because he may be hyper vigilant about physical symptoms that may arise initially (in the first 2 weeks or so) from a medication.
I recommend a medication such as Lexapro (escitalopram). Usual dose is 10 - 20 mg. I would start at 5 mg, and if he develops side effects he feels he cannot bear, then go down to 2. 5 mg until he tolerates it without worries. Also, be sure to tell him that most side effects usually diminish or go away.
It can take a few weeks to start seeing benefit from an SSRI. (Lexapro has one of the earliest onsets of therapeutic action though.)
A psychiatrist can help sort out if there are any other problems, such as if underneath he has irrational thoughts about why he has all of these medical problems.
I also recommend that he see a psychologist to discuss ways of realizing when he is getting overly focused on a health problem and ways to deal with this.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
Your son's excessive worry and focus on possible medical problems may be due to an anxiety disorder.
You can start with his primary doctor, but it may be best to see a psychiatrist. If he is unwilling to see a psychiatrist, then do go to the primary doctor. A selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressant (SSRI) may be help him considerably. I would recommend this type of treatment over treating anxiety with anti anxiety such as benzodiazepines which may only sedate him and only temporarily.
An SSRI medication can help with obsessive thoughts, which I think are likely contributing here. Usually a higher dose of an SSRI is needed to treat obsessive thoughts with associated anxiety, but with this type of medication, start at a low dose and gradually work up. Starting at a low dose is important for your son in particular, because he may be hyper vigilant about physical symptoms that may arise initially (in the first 2 weeks or so) from a medication.
I recommend a medication such as Lexapro (escitalopram). Usual dose is 10 - 20 mg. I would start at 5 mg, and if he develops side effects he feels he cannot bear, then go down to 2. 5 mg until he tolerates it without worries. Also, be sure to tell him that most side effects usually diminish or go away.
It can take a few weeks to start seeing benefit from an SSRI. (Lexapro has one of the earliest onsets of therapeutic action though.)
A psychiatrist can help sort out if there are any other problems, such as if underneath he has irrational thoughts about why he has all of these medical problems.
I also recommend that he see a psychologist to discuss ways of realizing when he is getting overly focused on a health problem and ways to deal with this.
I hope this information helps. Please let me know if I can provide further information.
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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