Anxiety & Panic Archives - Integrative Psychiatry Online, Ron Parks, MD

Four pictures in a frame of 2 people being scammed, 1 of scammer, and 1 of word picture with scam and related words

A criminal syndicate scammed me, with the near loss of my savings and damage to my trusting nature.

Written by Ron Parks, MD on January 5, 2023. Posted in Anxiety & Panic, Frauds, Scams, Criminality, Trauma.

Finding Gratefulness and Wisdom after getting off the hook when netted in a deadly phishing scheme.

Vulnerability to a scam

Close calls frighten you to the core but can also provide you with the best lessons for growth and wisdom. I remember when I was young, the incidences where I thought I would lose my life, career, or all that seemed important. Fortunately, almost miraculously, there was a reprieve from a potentially disastrous ending to the misstep or flawed choice. Then there was much repair work, with some gained wisdom and plenty about which to talk.

a frame with four colorful pictures suggesting a person having a nightmare with two shots of extremely alarmed people, one hanging from a mountainside, and of a pressure gauge in the red zone

Dreamwork for Insight, Creativity, and Growth

Written by Ron Parks, MD on November 22, 2022. Posted in Anxiety & Panic, Commentary on Health and Well-being, Creativity, Dreamwork, Getting Things Done, holistic mental healthcare, PTSD, Recovery.

The dream is an untapped resource for insight, problem-solving, and self-improvement.

Dreams an Untapped Resource

Dreamwork is a valuable resource and aid in self-help and therapy work. It is a practical and always available tool that supports personal growth, productivity, and mental and emotional health.

Old leather journal on wood plank table with a favorite pen beside.

Journal Keeping for Health and Productivity

Written by Ron Parks, MD on April 26, 2022. Posted in Addiction, Anxiety & Panic, Depression, Getting Things Done, Grief and Loss, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Integrative Therapies, Meditation/Mindfulness, Mood, PTSD, Recovery, Spirituality & Health, Trauma.

Purpose, Types, Benefits, and Tips

Journaling is one of the most valuable and accessible self-help tools available.

In times of stress and duress, journaling can help work through some of the most difficult life challenges, such as the death of a spouse with the difficulty that follows.

An award-winning author, grief support advocate, and marketing consultant, Linda Donovan,¹ shares a personal piece about the healing power of journaling in her life as an opening to our exploration of a valuable tool anybody can use. Dr. Parks then continues the narrative about the history and purpose of journaling, how his fascination with it developed, journal types, benefits, eight tips for doing journal keeping, and resources.

woman doctor checking patient's blood pressure -Copyright: rocketclips / 123RF Stock Photo

High Anxious Blood Pressures and Drug Dilemma

Written by Ron Parks, MD on February 7, 2022. Posted in Anxiety & Panic, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Trauma.

Elevated blood pressure readings in doctors offices and the decision process

Anxiety, fear, and stress can increase your risk of many different illnesses and degenerative diseases. There is a decision-making process that relies on advice, obtaining reliable well-sourced information, and the input from our developed inner wisdom or what I call the internal guiding narrative. The inner guide, of course, needs our attention and awareness. It is influenced by experience and develops in each of us throughout our lives. Ron’s personal story about reliance on his inner guidance to make a difficult choice follows.

Shocked by a high blood pressure reading

I took the BP readings with a manual sphygmomanometer and stethoscope at home when not feeling well. My blood pressure was elevated. I was worried to the point that…

Surviving Anxiety and Trauma

Written by Ron Parks, MD on November 9, 2021. Posted in Anxiety & Panic, Depression, Grief and Loss, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Holistic Views on Mental Health Issues, Integrative Therapies, Meditation/Mindfulness, Mood, PTSD, Spirituality & Health, Trauma, Viral Pandemics.

Unexpected Fall

Dr. Sid—endearingly just called “Sid” by his peers, colleagues, and fellow healthcare workers—made his way through the city in the early morning darkness. For fifteen years, he’d traveled this way, but the ordinarily busy city was now quiet, a sad reminder of the pandemic’s impact. He cranked the heater as a shiver crept up his spine at the thought of what lay ahead of him.

Storms and Mental Health

Written by Ron Parks, MD on September 26, 2021. Posted in Addiction, Anxiety & Panic, Bipolarity, Coronavirus, Depression, Grief and Loss, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Integrative Therapies, Meditation/Mindfulness, Mood, PTSD, Public Health Issue, Recovery, Spirituality & Health, Trauma, Viral Pandemics.

Mary’s Challenges

Mary¹ had a history of mood swings, depression, anxiety, and PTSD from childhood sexual abuse. Her years growing up were in a chaotic and disruptive home, especially after her alcoholic father deserted her and her mother. She had experienced a hard time growing up with parental neglect, physical, and emotional abuse. Her post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) returned after the hurricane with a vengeance.

Yoga & Eastern Influence on Holistic Healthcare

Written by Ron Parks, MD on August 16, 2021. Posted in Addiction, Anxiety & Panic, Bipolarity, Commentary on Health and Well-being, Depression, Grief and Loss, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, holistic mental healthcare, Holistic Views on Mental Health Issues, Integrative Therapies, Meditation/Mindfulness, Mood, Spirituality & Health, Trauma. 1 Comment

An Awakening Fall

As a nine-year-old boy, while enjoying the warmth of the midday sun, I was easing my way out onto a branch of a wild apple tree. It was in a deserted field with the sweetest green apples I had ever tasted. These weren’t like the shiny red ones you can buy at the local store. The tree’s singular presence in an untamed field of weeds and wildflowers made it an even more tempting challenge to climb.

Childrens’ Essential Need

Written by Ron Parks, MD on May 11, 2021. Posted in ADD/ADHD, Anxiety & Panic, Asperger Traits, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Children's Mental Health, Depression, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, Mood, Trauma.

A child at risk can easily go unrecognized!

Sam was lagging in his school work and was falling asleep on his school desk. His grades were failing. He was getting into fights, according to his principal. Other kids were bullying and picking on him. At home and school, he was often moody and irritable. He avoided social activities and liked to play by himself or watch TV. The school called his mother to make an appointment. What happened next totally caught everyone off guard. Help had come too late. [i]

COVID-19 and Mental Health Crises Book

Written by Ron Parks, MD on February 8, 2021. Posted in Addiction, Anxiety & Panic, Bipolarity, Commentary on Health and Well-being, Coronavirus, Death and Dying, Depression, Grief and Loss, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, Integrative Therapies, Meditation/Mindfulness, Mood, Neuroplasticity, PTSD, Public Health Issue, Spirituality & Health, Trauma, Viral Pandemics. 1 Comment

If a mental health crisis or the pandemic has affected your life, then this book is written for you.

COVID-19/Mental Health Crises: Holistic Understanding & Solutions

In his timely book, now published, Ronald R. Parks, MPH, MD, examines the impact of COVID-19 or other forms of crisis, loss, or tragedy on individual mental health.

Epilogue to COVID-19

Written by Ron Parks, MD on September 14, 2020. Posted in Anxiety & Panic, Coronavirus, Grief and Loss, Holistic Approaches to Prevention and Recovery, Meditation/Mindfulness, PTSD, Public Health Issue, Spirituality & Health, Trauma, Viral Pandemics.

The U.S. and all the other countries of the world lost the cherished and innocent beliefs of individuality, separateness, and independence.

There was no security from a devastating infectious pathogen, quickly crossing permeable national boundaries. The self-conceived bubble of safety and autonomy had burst into the reality of living in a global interconnected population. The impact of one individual potentially effects the health and wellbeing of all on the planet.

If you prefer to listen, a podcast version is available as you go to the full post article.

Category: Anxiety & Panic