Possibilities with Parkinson's - a Column by Dr. C

early stage, remission, default mode network, insular cortex, criteria, hallucinations, storm Dr. C is the familiar pseudonym for readers who visit “Possibilities with Parkinson’s.” The love of writing has spanned his careers as a research theoretician, brain rehabilitation clinician, and college professor. Dr. C was first diagnosed with early-stage Parkinson’s disease in 2014. His interest in how Parkinson’s disease can manifest itself in other body and mind symptoms has become a focused area for his research and writing. His goal is to share current medical research on how Parkinson’s can be diagnosed in early stages, and to help other early-stage Parkinson’s patients manage their disease process in a holistic healing approach.
November 9, 2018 Columns by Dr. C

Impulsivity and Parkinson’s: The Itch that Must Be Scratched

Impulsivity is a symptom commonly associated with both Parkinson’s disease (PD) and some of the medications used to treat it. Impulsivity involves acting on urges with little thought to the consequences — that seven-year itch that feels like it must be scratched — regardless of the problems that may…

November 2, 2018 Columns by Dr. C

The Grouch and T.O.O.T.S.: Dealing with Irritability

Years ago when I was first diagnosed, my partner asked the neurologist, “Is there something we can do about his irritability?” The doctor responded, “I wish I had a dollar for every time a partner made this request.” It seems this is a prevalent issue. In past columns I have addressed…

October 19, 2018 Columns by Dr. C

I Feel Terrorized by the Parkinson’s Disease Thief

I was working as a crisis clinician when the twin towers fell. My colleagues and I saw an increase in the number of people needing help with anxiety-related mental health issues. Sheldon Solomon, PhD, explained this phenomenon with his terror management theory – which is concerned with how humans…

October 12, 2018 Columns by Dr. C

Deep Fatigue Is More than Tiredness

Fatigue is a symptom commonly associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and one I experience more often each year. The term “fatigue” alone does not do justice to the experience. It is too easy to relate fatigue to being tired or overworked, or to muscle aches after hard physical labor. I…

September 28, 2018 Columns by Dr. C

A New Look at Freezing: ‘Scenario Looping Breakdowns’ As an Early Symptom

Reframing how we describe symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) can help us understand the disease spectrum concept that I introduced last week. One such symptom is the movement disorder called “freezing.” I believe there is an early PD symptom variation of freezing, called “scenario looping breakdown.” Understanding it may help…

September 21, 2018 Columns by Dr. C

A Preliminary Look at the Parkinson’s Disease Spectrum

The needs of each Parkinson’s disease (PD) patient varies because there is a large symptom diversity in the disease population. We may think of this diversity as a Parkinson’s disease spectrum: some people display little or no symptoms of a certain type while others describe those same symptoms as severe.

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