Introduction Differential Diagnosis Overview Symptom Overlap: Many symptoms, like fatigue, can have multiple causes (e.g., hormonal imbalances, medication side effects, nutrient deficiencies). Comprehensive Approach: Importance of considering bio-psycho-social factors before diagnosing to avoid missing underlying physical causes. Talk Therapy Limitations: Emphasizes that some conditions (e.g., atrial fibrillation) cannot be resolved through therapy alone. Framing Bias in Diagnosis Definition: A cognitive bias where decision-making is influenced by how information is presented. Impact: Patients may describe symptoms differently to different professionals (e.g., physical symptoms to doctors, emotional symptoms to therapists), leading to potential misdiagnoses. Confirmation Bias Definition: The tendency to favor information that confirms pre-existing beliefs or expectations. Clinical Implications: Can lead to misdiagnoses by assuming a patient’s issues are solely mental health-related without considering physiological causes. Availability Heuristic Definition: A mental shortcut where people rely on immediate examples that come to mind. Example: Increased diagnoses of personality disorders due to media coverage, potentially leading to over-diagnosis. Importance of Comprehensive Evaluation Holistic Approach: Evaluate all aspects of a patient's life (physical, emotional, cognitive, etc.) to determine the root cause of symptoms. Avoiding Over-Diagnosis: Caution against diagnosing multiple disorders when symptoms might be better explained by a single condition (e.g., CPTSD). Physiological Causes of Depression Hormonal Imbalances: Low testosterone, estrogen, thyroid issues. Nutrient Deficiencies: Low vitamin D, iron deficiency, dehydration. Sleep Disorders: Sleep apnea, circadian rhythm disruptions. Other Physical Factors: Chronic inflammation, medication side effects, cardiovascular dysfunction, addiction. Low Energy and Motivation Causes: Chronic fatigue syndrome, sleep disturbances, medication side effects, hormonal imbalances, and chronic stress. Emotional and Cognitive Factors: Depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, PTSD, and cognitive distortions like hopelessness and helplessness. Sleep Disturbances Contributors: Sleep apnea, hormonal imbalances, hypervigilance (especially in PTSD/CPTSD), addiction, medication side effects. Impact on Mental Health: Poor sleep exacerbates issues like low energy, depression, and anxiety. Attention and Concentration Difficulties Physical Causes: Blood sugar issues, dehydration, cardiovascular disease, thyroid imbalances. Cognitive and Emotional Factors: ADD/ADHD, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia. Social Withdrawal and Isolation Oxytocin Role: Low levels or ineffective response to oxytocin can lead to social withdrawal. Mental Health Connections: Common in schizophrenia, autism, anxiety, and depression. Anxiety and Worry Nutritional Deficiencies: Imbalances in magnesium, vitamin D, and B vitamins. Other Causes: Hormonal imbalances, sleep dysfunction, side effects of medications like benzodiazepines and antidepressants. Addiction: Stress from hiding addiction or withdrawal symptoms can exacerbate anxiety. Conclusion Chapters: 00:00:00 - Introduction to Differential Diagnosis and Framing Bias 00:06:54 - Assessment of Depressive Symptoms 00:14:03 - Causes of Depressed Mood 00:20:58 - Underlying Causes of Fatigue 00:28:00 - Factors contributing to sleep dysfunction and low energy 00:34:58 - Sleep Disruptions and their Causes 00:41:37 - Restlessness: Causes and Solutions 00:48:44 - Factors Contributing to Anxiety and Worry 00:55:29 - Causes of Low Motivation 01:02:15 - Wishing You an Amazing Week Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices