The Experts Speak - An Educational Service of the Florida Psychiatric Society

Psychiatrist Serge Thys talks about the impact and mental health needs of people in his homeland after the earthquake. He discusses the nature of their community cohesiveness, their culture and the changes following the extraordinary trauma that befell them.

Gary Foster PhD is a professor of medicine and director of the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University. He speaks to the challenges of obesity, of how it is a mixture of lifestyle and biological problems, what can be done to control it, and how to approach and intervene with this considerable social-medical problem.

Daniel Wolf, MD, uses neuroimaging to study the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. His findings may explain some of the clinical challenges when treating the disorder.

Roz Malmaud PhD offers many valuable insights based on personal clinical experience into the issues of self-cutting, in both sexes. She talks of how the cutter becomes both an abuser and the abused, of the need to release tension, the dangers of cutting, and what types of intervention are needed.

Sheldon Wolf MD, a UCLA neurologist, specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of memory disorders. He speaks in detail of what is needed for a full and proper work-up of dementia, with a focus on how about 25% of the time, the 'dementia' might be reversible.

Garrie Thomson, PhD, who has a clinical practice and is on the board of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, talks of what do to when feeling suicidal or depressed, some statistics, a link to the website for information (www.adsp.com), and a sense of how very successful intervention can be,

SMARxTDISPOSAL is a joint project of the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the American Pharmacists Association and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America to recommend safe ways to dispose unused medications. Greg Masson, PhD, discusses these issues and techniques; he is Chief, Branch of Environmental Contaminants, US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Through her own advancing dementia, Francis Goldstein was a very public advocate on behalf of others with dementia. Her media work was in the US and Argentina. Her husband, Jacobo, reflects on these efforts and what it was like to have dementia in the family. Still an active journalist, he was the CNN White House Correspondent for Latin America for 17 years. He knew President Reagan and talks of h...

Robert Post MD, discusses data now supports that bipolar disorders can appear in childhood. It may be considered a pediatric onset illness. Dr. Post further offers his observations and findings that too many children are not being diagnosed early enough, or that diagnostic delays result in greater longer term problems or with getting the wrong treatments. He also talks of the diagnostic challenges...

Psychiatrist Jaime Fernandez discusses the relationship between fish oils and mental health. Included are references to a recent study suggesting fish oils might reduce the progression to psychosis.

Psychiatrist Mindy Rosenbloom outlines the important diagnostic differences between these two conditions. The treatments for these two diagnostic conditions are different, though they may seem to overlap.

Child psychiatrist Laurie Karpf outlines some of the early and later behavorial signs of children who might have an autistic spectrum disorder.

Forensic psychologist Mike Brannon explains the notions of forensic competency and insanity, with a focus on how psychologists approach and measure these two states.

Forensic psychiatrist Ryan Hall discusses the definition, role, and nature of competency, especially as it relates to legal matters that have a psychiatric element.

Andrew Farah takes a look at folate use in depression, the homocysteine theory of depression, how to use l-methylfolate augmentation in depression, safety, and a discussion of other possible uses of l-methlyfolate.

Psychopharmacologist Dr. Extein discusses the logic, incidence, manner of and philosophy towards mixing psychiatric medications.

A research and clinical neurologist explains the nature, the theory and the treatment -- both current and up-coming -- of dementia.

Former Florida State Rep Ed Homan's comments on the need for mental health parity. He is also a physician who very worked hard on this issue. Though no longer in the Florida Legislature, his comments in February 2008 provide valuable background information.

Psychiatrist Elias Sarkis discusses of the challenges and proper use of psychiatric interventions in any child, even with the very young.

A look at PTSD with discussions about what causes it, it's definition, efforts to try to prevent it, and interventions, with psychiatrist Cynthia White.

An update on the rationale, safety, proper use and effectiveness of ECT. Included are discussions of how the memory loss side effect has been dramatically reduced, A detailed walk through the actual process is also included.

A detailed look into the detox and rehabilitation process, with discussions of its successes and failures, etc

An introduction and overview of the nature, history and use of TMS.

A Florida State University researcher discusses the patterns, signs and other aspects of suicide and suicide attempts.

John Kane, MD, discusses ideas about the causes, treatments and concepts of schizophrenia.