Dear Dr. Archer,<\/b><\/p>\n
My 43-year-old son has a difficult time socializing, and has a tough time retaining any instruction, unless it\u2019s a routine. He has difficulty in gathering his thoughts together, and sometimes has anxiety attacks. He can express himself, but his vocabulary is limited.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
He experiences ringing in his ears, but is able to sleep. He lacks self-confidence, and from time to time needs someone with him to tackle a project. Presently he lives with his mother and me.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
He just lost his job as a truck driver after almost six years, and has plenty of fear. He is taking Risperdone, 5mg, but it doesn\u2019t seem to be helping him at all. He is still under a doctor\u2019s care.<\/b><\/p>\n
What do you think? I\u2019m sure it\u2019s a chemical imbalance; I\u2019d just like someone to give it a specific name.<\/b><\/p>\n
Chris<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Dear Chris,<\/p>\n
It sounds like anxiety to me, but it could be on the autism spectrum, or possibly depression. Of course, I can\u2019t make an accurate diagnosis simply from a letter.<\/p>\n
I must say I\u2019m surprised that the treating doc hasn\u2019t given you a diagnosis. You might ask your son to sign a release of information, so you can discuss his situation with the doctor.<\/p>\n
I find it interesting that he has been prescribed Risperdone, which is an antipsychotic medication. You don\u2019t mention that the symptoms include hallucinations or delusions. If not, then I\u2019m not sure why he is on this medication.<\/p>\n
There is no way I can give this a name, or a diagnosis, via a letter. I strongly recommend a second opinion from a psychiatrist. I also think psychological testing would be appropriate to evaluate his socialization issues.<\/p>\n
Getting the right diagnosis is the first step on the road to recovery, so do that, and make sure you stay involved.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Dear Dr. Archer,<\/b><\/p>\n
In the past few months, I\u2019ve become increasingly uncomfortable in social situations. I\u2019m not depressed, and I\u2019m perfectly content, as long as my routine of daydreaming isn\u2019t disturbed.<\/b><\/p>\n
It seems like I\u2019m always daydreaming, or in deep thought, or having hypothetical conversations \u2014 brilliant, life-changing conversations that would dumbfound people if I could communicate the same way in person.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
It\u2019s like I\u2019ve forgotten how to socialize!\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
I\u2019ve always been shy, but still socially adept, and somewhat extroverted after warming up to people. Now I feel resentment toward my own mother when she interrupts my solitude. I even suspect she may do things on purpose because she likes to see me uncomfortable. This is the only situation that makes me cry, otherwise, people say I look blank.<\/b><\/p>\n
I don\u2019t feel strong emotions other than satisfaction or paranoia. I talk to my reflection, saying \u201cshe\u2019s evil\u201d about my mother after she sabotages my peace. Sudden noises and movement make me jump and get anxious. When I\u2019m alone in the house, the slightest noise will have me looking throughout and calling out \u201cWho\u2019s there?\u201d Even though mom is at work, I\u2019m nervous that she snuck in.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
I don\u2019t trust my mom, and I don\u2019t trust my friends. I\u2019m anticipating abuse, but I\u2019m not abused. I feel like they\u2019re all ganging up to deceive me. It\u2019s not like this all the time, but often. I\u2019ve since quit caring about my friendships. I\u2019m at my happiest, most peaceful, most creative and least bored when I\u2019m alone.<\/b><\/p>\n
I feel rushed when someone wants to talk to me, and it\u2019s a waste. I zone out, and either don\u2019t hear what they say, or I forget.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n
What\u2019s happening to me? I\u2019ve been paranoid since high school, but this fear of people, noise and absent-mindedness is recent. I don\u2019t know what to do, and Mom is getting sick of my behavior.<\/b><\/p>\n
She thinks I\u2019m doing this on purpose, but why would I choose to be like this? Most of this started after I had to withdraw from college and move in with mom. I\u2019m not depressed. Once in a while I have 30 minutes of giddiness, where I\u2019m very happy. Most of the time, however, my mood is quiet. What\u2019s going on?<\/b><\/p>\n
Chess<\/b><\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Dear Chess,<\/p>\n
Although anxiety and paranoia are distinct conditions, both can cause fear, confusion and uncertainty. What I\u2019m most concerned with is the paranoia.<\/p>\n
Paranoia is a feeling of being targeted by others, without any logical proof to back it up. Common symptoms include:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Poor self-image<\/p>\n
\u2022 Social isolation<\/p>\n
\u2022 Belief that others always want to take advantage<\/p>\n
\u2022 Inability to relax<\/p>\n
\u2022 Inability to work with others<\/p>\n
\u2022 Lack of trust.<\/p>\n
Treatment for paranoia includes cognitive-behavioral therapy, which is popular among patients, and has a low relapse rate. Medication is often administered if there are more severe symptoms.<\/p>\n
Predicting the prognosis of paranoia is difficult. The sooner you receive treatment, however, the better the prognosis. Learn all you can about paranoia and anxiety to understand more about what you are dealing with.<\/p>\n
My advice is to get an assessment from a mental health professional. In a worst-case scenario, this could be an early-onset psychosis. Best case, merely adjustments disorder. But, you need to get formerly diagnosed, and go from there. Good luck.<\/p>\n
Dr. Dale Archer is a board-certified psychiatrist who founded the Institute for Neuropsychiatry in Southwest Louisiana.\u00a0 He is a frequent guest on Fox News, CNN Headline News and other national TV programs, and is the author of The ADHD Advantage and the New York Times\u2019 best-selling book \u201cBetter than Normal.\u201d Visit him at DrDaleArcher.com.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Dear Dr. Archer, My 43-year-old son has a difficult time socializing, and has a tough time retaining any instruction, unless it\u2019s a routine. He has difficulty in gathering his thoughts together, and sometimes has anxiety attacks. He can express himself, but his vocabulary is limited.\u00a0 He experiences ringing in his ears, but is able to [&hellip<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":266,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[820,34],"yoast_head":"\n