Palpitations are frequently caused by anxiety. On the other hand, anxiety can be caused by palpitations. Sometimes it is difficult to determine what is causing what.Typically, if you have no history of heart di... continue reading  about  I have been having palpitations and skipped heartbeats for several months. My EKGs and blood work are normal. Is this all stress and anxiety?

Stress and anxiety can both either trigger asthma or mimic it. With asthma there would tend to also be some wheezing, cough or chest tightness. Also, asthma would respond to Albuterol but anxiety would not. If ... continue reading  about  I have had asthma since childhood. As an adult, I find that when I'm really stressed or anxious, my asthma gets worse. Is there a correlation? Also how can I tell the difference between an asthma attack and an anxiety attack?

The way your body metabolizes alcohol does not change if it is wine, beer or hard spirits. Addiction depends upon the quantity of alcohol that is consumed, not the type. A 12 oz beer has the same alcohol conten... continue reading  about  Is drinking hard alcohol more likely to contribute to addiction than wine or beer?

I am sorry for your losses.Cardiomyopathy can be a serious condition. In addition to chest pain and shortness of breath, patients can have dyspnea on exertion, fatigue, edema, and in some cases hepatic or kidne... continue reading  about  I've been through some bad loses this year (relationship, foreclosure) and have had chest pain and shortness of breath. My doctor said I had stress cardiomyopathy (broken heart syndrome). What are the other symptoms, is it dangerous, will I get it again?

Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are not the same thing, but both are commonly thought of as “alcoholism”. Alcohol dependence is defined by physiologic dependence on alcohol from consistent, hea... continue reading  about  I only drink a glass or two of wine a day, but I have a very hard time giving this up. Does that mean I'm an alcoholic?

There are many potential causes of insomnia. If you have not done so already, I would recommend that you speak with your physician in order to determine the most likely cause of your insomnia. If, in the opinio... continue reading  about  What can I do if my SSRI is causing me to have insomnia? I've been on Prozac for a year (and it's been a huge help with my OCD), but I can't seem to string together more than two hours of sleep at a time.

Memory loss is something we can all experience. You are correct; it can be caused by stress when our attention is not well focused. Memory loss can also be contributed to by factors such as poor sleep, mood dis... continue reading  about  Memory loss or changes may have multiple causes or impersonators. What are some of them other than stress? Are early onset dementia symptoms recognizable by the person experiencing the symptoms?

It is often very difficult to differentiate the symptoms of a heart attack from other causes. Even in the Emergency Department, with access to X-rays, EKG's, and fancy lab work, we sometimes cannot be 100 perce... continue reading  about  Awhile ago my husband complained of a pounding heart. He said it felt like it was thumping against his chest. Tests showed that he was fine and it was probably caused by stress. How can we tell the difference between severe anxiety and a heart attack?

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that typically begins early in life - and which, for most afflicted individuals, has a chronic fluctuating course. Exacerbations of this disorder are o... continue reading  about  What are your thoughts on the long-term use of SSRIs like Prozac? I have OCD and think I'll probably need it for the rest of my life.