Magnesium deficiency was first documented by Hirschfelder and Haury (1934) in a report entitled Clinical Manifestations of High and Low Plasma Magnesium. Since the publishing of this report in the 1930s, our understanding of magnesium deficiencies has advanced significantly. We now know that hypomagnesemia (serum magnesium below 1.7 mg/dL) is not always indicative of an …
Intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is regarded as a subtype of impulse control disorder characterized by impulsive, uncontrollable explosive outbursts of anger, aggression, and/or rage – sometimes accompanied by violence. To be considered intermittent explosive disorder, the explosive outbursts of anger must be triggered in situations and/or conditions in which such anger is unjustified. In other …
Impulse control disorder (ICD) is an overarching classificatory label given to psychiatric disorders characterized by inability to resist impulses (or urges) that yield deleterious implications. Examples of impulse control disorders include: compulsive gambling, incessant sexual encounters, and binge shopping. If unrecognized and/or unaddressed for an extended duration, an impulse control disorder may ruin a person’s: …
If you experience depression solely in the winter months, you may have a condition known as seasonal affective disorder (SAD), also referred to in layman’s terms as “seasonal depression.” Throughout human evolution, it was speculated that mood changes occurred during inclement conditions such as winter months due to the fact that in these conditions, it …
Individuals that have used any potent drug, particularly for a long-term and/or at high doses are known to experience significant short-term withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms may include things like dizziness, headaches, nausea, and vomiting. Over time, they usually lessen in severity as the nervous system and physiology adjusts to function without the presence of the …
Hypnagogic jerks refer to involuntary bodily twitches, movements, or muscular jolts that occur during the transition from wakefulness to a sleeping state. Most people are thought to experience them just moments before entering the first stage of sleep. In some cases, hypnagogic jerks are also referred to as “sleep twitches” or “sleep starts,” but are …
Hypnopompic hallucinations refer to bizarre sensory experiences that occur during the transitory period between a sleeping state and wakefulness. Imagine sensing that you are slowly transitioning from a sleeping state to being fully awake, when at some point during that transition, you begin seeing vivid geometric shapes, hearing sounds, or even sensing touch. These sensations …