Panic Disorders are characterized by sudden, inexplicable feelings of terror. People fear that they are going crazy, losing control or on the verge of death. Because panic attacks appear "out of the blue" they often produce a companion state of persistent worry about when the next attack might occur. Left untreated it it can become disabling and limits the enjoyment of life.Stuart Shipko, ,M.D. is a board certified psychiatrist in private practice in Pasadena, CA who has treated th...

As a practicing psychiatrist for over 30 years, I have had ample experience working with antidepressants. Judging by what my patients tell me, psychiatric medications, SSRI antidepressants in particular, are prescribed to patients often with little or no information about the risks of taking these medications. When a patient consents for treatment, it should be with the full knowledge of the risks involved and alternative treatments available.For most patients, antidepressants are ...

A doctor reflects on his career, psychiatry, medicine and remarkable experiences with faith healing amidst the backdrop of the first year of the coronavirus pandemic. With intellectual honesty and candor, he achieves deep and satisfying self-understanding.

Xanax Withdrawal provides a road map for stopping Xanax. Xanax dependency is a common problem, and there is little practical information available on how to safely and comfortably stop taking it. A patient can unknowingly become dependent on Xanax, with dependency sometimes happening after as little as a week or two of regular use. Dr. Shipko addresses issues related to stopping Xanax; why to stop, when to stop, how to taper the drug and what to expect during withdrawal. A practicing psych...