Answered by Dr. Ashish Khandelwal

Will 5-HTPn help to increase serotonin level? Suffering from sleeping problem, depression and anxieties.

Dear Doctor,

I have a problem of sleeping at a scheduled time. I always sleep in a different time and it is getting delayed every day, like a cycle.

For example: If today I sleep at 9:00 pm, in few days I will be sleeping at 10:00 pm. And in a few weeks, I would sleep at 4:00 AM.

I also have depression and different forms of anxieties.

I did a blood test for sertonin in blood. The result was 65.0 ng/mL. Normal range is 151-186. Does this test have anything to do with my anxiety and sleeping problem?

What should I do about it?

Age:29 years, Gender: male, Height:178cm, Weight:60kg, Medications: I take only 1 multivitamin every day.

06 Feb 2024 - 1 min read

Since I was a child, I keep repeating some bad words and sentences inside my mind. I do not understand why.

Dear Doctor,

• Since I was a child, I keep repeating some bad words and sentences inside my mind. I do not understand why.

• Eventhough such thoughts are prohibited by our religion, my mind keeps saying certain words each minute without my control, sometimes I feel that I just want to hit myself.

• And also sometimes, I keep checking things, such as locking the doors or drawers and rechecking it again and again.

• I am now 27 years old and still cannot control this behaviour.

• Yesterday I searched in the internet and I understood that I have Obsessive Compulsive disorder.

• I feel shy to go to a psychiatrist or to tell my problem to anyone. Can I treat myself alone?

• I read on internet that there is a medicine named Prozak (fluoxetine). Can I buy this medicine by myself.

Looking forward for your kind reply.

06 Feb 2024 - 1 min read

I am diagnosed of psychosis NOS. Is there a possibility of withdrawal psychosis when antipsychotics are discontinued?

Hi,

I am diagnosed of Psychosis (NOS). The first episode was in 2010 and it lasted for three-four months before I was taken to a psychiatrist. I had been thinking that people are tracking me through email, internet. My mobile phone is tapped and all that. I did not get any auditory or visual hallucinations. I was prescribed Risperidone 2 mg and I took it for about 10 months before I discontinued it following a medical practitioner's advice.

But the disease relapsed after 10 months of discontinuing the medication. This time with in one month of the start of the disease I was taken to a psychiatrist and he prescribed me Amisulpride 400 mg and another medication which I do not remember the name. This time also there were only delusions and no hallucinations. I was not able to tolerate the side effects of the medication and I decided to stop the medication after one month of using it. Within one month I was able to come out of the diseased state and stopped the medication by myself not taking advice from doctor.

After three months of stopping the medication, the disease relapsed again a bit more severely this time but again only delusions and no hallucinations. My doctor told the relapse is because I stopped the medication abruptly. And presently I am under treatment of the same doctor and am on Aripiprazole 20 mg and Amisulpride 200 mg. His plan is to reduce and stop amisulpride slowly and continue aripiprazole for some more time.

Totally I should be having the medication for 1 to 1 and half years. I am tolerating this medication better than Risperidone but still would like to find out if there are any alternatives.The Psychosis has responded well to the medication. And I am totally symptom free for the past six or more months.

These are the questions I have?

I read on internet there is a possibility of withdrawal Psychosis when antipsychotics are discontinued (attributed to increased number and sensitivity of dopamine receptors). Was it that what I got 10 months after discontinuation of the medication? Are there further chances of getting such withdrawal Psychosis, if I continue antipsychotics for a period of one and a half years?

How much reliable is homeopathy in treating this?

06 Feb 2024 - 1 min read

What causes mood fluctuations, rudeness, and excessive lying in a 27-year-old male?

Hello doctor,

I am 27-year-old male with a weight of 154 pounds and a height of 5 feet 10 inches. I am facing certain issues that have been troubling me. I am unsure when or how they started, as they are not something I have experienced since childhood. The symptoms I am dealing with include:

1. Developing a habit of lying, which is happening involuntarily. I am not intentionally choosing to lie.
2. Exhibiting increased rudeness and struggling to manage my moods and behaviors.
3. Finding it challenging to show care or concern for others, and sometimes saying hurtful things without any apparent reason.
4. Experiencing fluctuations in mood, judgments, and personality.

Through my research, I came across the term pathological liar and dementia, both of which I suspect might be related to my behavior. Upon consulting a doctor, I was advised to see a psychiatrist promptly. The doctor also prescribed medication - Tablet Oleanz 5 mg and Cap Becadexamine. However, I have not started taking any medication yet.

I am feeling lost and unsure about what is happening to me. I worry if I am becoming a mental patient due to my behavior. My closest relationships, including my mom, dad, and girlfriend, mean the world to me. However, due to my lying and rude behavior, I fear I am pushing them away. I am witnessing my relationships deteriorate, and I feel like everything is slipping through my fingers like sand. This situation is causing me immense anxiety, and I fear that if things continue this way, I might indeed become a mental patient.

I humbly request your help and guidance to navigate through this difficult phase. If this is indeed a disease, I am eager to receive treatment and make positive changes. Please extend your support and advice to help me overcome these troubles and regain control over my life.

Thank you.

02 Feb 2024 - 1 min read

When I see a child, I always imagine them naked. What shall I do?

Hi doctor,

When I see a child, whether in public or at home, I always imagine them naked. I look at them and start to visualize them in sexual situations. I want to keep looking at them, even though I know I should not. I am always watching naked kid images on the internet. I do not believe I actually want to have sex with a child although I am not able to stop myself from thinking this way. What shall I do?

02 Feb 2024 - 1 min read