Author Archives: Simon Downes, MD, PhD

Medical educator

8-year-old boy who enjoys breaking the rules and getting in trouble

My 8-year-old boy seems to enjoy breaking the rules and getting in trouble. I am constantly getting complaints from his teacher that he is very disruptive in class and that he is bullying other children. Sometimes he refuses to go to school. I have to force him to go to bed. He leaves the house…More

Feelings of apathy after trauma

I am concerned with my indifference toward others and dislike of being in social situations. Is the feeling of apathy normal after having been through a lot of traumatic situations and deaths from childhood to teenage years? I’m often told people deal with death in different ways but I always feel like I could have…More

How can I treat depression without pharmaceuticals?

I have been depressed for about 4 months. I was just sad at first. Now depression is interfering with my life. I do not want to get out of bed or leave my house. I find myself making excuses to friends and family for why I cannot go over during the holidays. But, I am…More

Talking to a child about their terminal illness

My 7-year-old niece has a terminal illness, leukemia, and things are not looking good, especially with the recent relapse. In such cases, how does a family go about explaining the child’s death to them? I think it is cruel constantly promising she will be fine. What has your experience taught you is the best approach…More

I’m afraid of social settings

I like being around people but after these years of self-reflection, I realized I’m afraid of social settings. It’s ironic because I avoid people on my own but I feel so incredibly lonely. More

Depression & OCD

I have mild depression and the question of finding the meaning of life constantly looms inside my head. I also have some peculiar problems that only occur at night. I feel I have a second “conscious” in my head that would tell me what to do, which could be a sign of OCD as I…More

Am I experiencing PTSD?

I am a police officer and a few weeks ago my partner died in the line of duty. He was shot and killed on my watch. I knew him for over 10 years, and we started at the academy together. When he died, I was asked to take a leave of absence to cope with…More

What can I do about mood swings?

I’ve been having mood swings lately. My girlfriend gets mad at me because one minute I’m being nice and sweet towards her and the next minute I start yelling at her. It’s for no apparent reason, I don’t mean to but it just happens. I’m stressed from work because I’m leading a presentation for possible investors.…More

Does hypnosis really work for weight loss?

I am planning on going to a clinic in my area that specializes as in hypnosis to help me with weight loss. I am struggling with ability to lose weight. I skip out in my personal trainer and sneak junk food when I know I shouldn’t. I know I want to lose weight, but it’s…More