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Dr. Amy Kizer Cuellar, PHD, ABSMIP is a psychologist in Houston, TX specializing in psychology. Dr. Amy Kizer Cuellar, PHD, ABSMIP is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
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Anxiety
Anxiety is a generic name given to a variety of conditions characterized by unusual amounts of fear and worry, especially unrealistic fears and tension. People who suffer from anxiety often are aware that their fears are irrational, but that knowledge does not make the feeling of being scared and anxious go away. To qualify as anxiety, symptoms must last for 6 months or more and interfere with the way a person lives their daily life. Some cases may be mild, where, for example, a person simply avoids certain situations. Other cases can be severe enough to be disabling.
Some of the specific conditions covered under the general label of anxiety include:
Collectively, anxiety disorders are the most common mental health issues diagnosed in the United States -- even more common than depression. Women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with anxiety, and it is extremely common for a person with anxiety to have another illness at the same time, such as depression, a physical illness, or substance abuse.
Treatment for anxiety usually involves medication and psychotherapy together. Medications used may include antidepressants (which also work for anxiety), anti-anxiety medications, or beta blockers (which can be used to control the physical symptoms of anxiety). Psychotherapy can be useful to teach patients new ways of thinking and reacting so that they can manage their feelings of worry and fear. Support groups can also be very effective for anxiety, and they can be a form of treatment themselves for social phobias. Stress management, relaxation techniques, and meditation all help reduce feelings of anxiety or of being out of control. Finally, having a strong support network of family and friends is an excellent way to help manage the difficulties of life with anxiety.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health disorder that people may develop after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. PTSD causes recurring nightmares, flashbacks, and disturbing memories about the traumatic event. It is frequently triggered by particularly intense and life-threatening incidents. For example, someone involved in a serious car accident may have severe anxiety about the accident months or even years later. War veterans and people involved in armed conflict are particularly prone to developing PTSD. In decades past, PTSD was called shellshock and was used to describe the negative emotions that soldiers endured from war. Today, medical professionals who treat PTSD recognize that it can occur in all types of people and can result from all types of traumatic incidents. It is not known exactly why some people develop PTSD, although PTSD frequently arises from:
People who have experienced significant and repeated trauma are more likely to develop PTSD. Those who have disorders like depression or a family history of depression may also be more prone to PTSD. PTSD symptoms typically begin one month to one year following the traumatic event. There are four main categories of PTSD symptoms:
The intensity and frequency of these symptoms can vary over time. PTSD symptoms may suddenly return after disappearing for years. Many PTSD patients find treatment helps to gradually reduce their symptoms over time.
The most common treatments for PTSD are psychotherapy and oral medications. Psychotherapy for PTSD can include cognitive therapy (therapy to change thought patterns), exposure therapy (therapy to confront memories of the traumatic incident) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR). EMDR integrates exposure therapy with guided eye movements to help patients confront and process their trauma. Certain oral medications may help with PTSD, such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications. Self-care, support groups, and relaxation may also benefit those with PTSD.
The path to overcoming PTSD can be long and challenging and people with PTSD can benefit greatly by seeking professional treatment from a mental health care provider. Treatment can reduce PTSD symptoms, provide essential coping strategies, and improve one's quality of life.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a long-lasting, or chronic, severe mental illness that affects the way people think, feel, and behave. If someone has this condition, they likely have difficulty distinguishing reality from fantasy and may experience the following:
A comprehensive psychiatric evaluation is necessary to identify this illness, and one of the top criteria for a diagnosis of schizophrenia is that at least some of the symptoms listed above have to be present for a minimum of six months. The causes of schizophrenia are unclear, but studies have linked it to genetics, abnormalities in brain structure, and immune disorders. It has also been found to affect men and women equally, with onset typically occurring earlier in men.
Although there is no cure for schizophrenia, some treatments can help people manage their disease. For example, physicians may prescribe antipsychotics which are a group of medications that can reduce symptoms. Patients can also learn useful coping skills and get emotional support by regularly taking part in individual talk therapy and having family members participate in group therapy sessions.
She is certified by the serious mental illness psychology with the American Board of Serious Mental Illness Psychology (ABSMIP).
Board Certification: serious mental illness psychology with the American Board of Serious Mental Illness Psychology (ABSMIP)
Dr. Amy Kizer Cuellar, PHD, ABSMIP is associated with these hospitals and organizations:
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Dr. Amy Cuellar works as a psychology. Her areas of expertise include bipolar disorder. Her professional affiliations include U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Baylor College of Medicine.
