Q: This query relates to my mother. She is 49. Of late she has become very irritative and believes she will get all kinds of diseases. If a dog passes by she thinks it might bite her. After a visit to an ENT specialist to have a check up of a hole in her ear drum, she thinks she might get transmissible diseases. This kind of change is present for the past 8-10 months, but more irrationally for last 3 months. This has begun after we shifted our house to city outskirts. She does lack company during day time. Dad gets irritated and does not cooperate much. We consulted our family doctor who prescribed Stressnil, now he has suggested to opt for Homeopathic medicines. There are no reliable psychiatrists here. What do you suggest?

A:The symptoms your mother is suffering from can be seen more commonly in depression or anxiety disorders eg. obsessive compulsive disorder and phobic disorders and sometimes in psychotic disorders. These may be triggered by stress of any kind. She needs to be interviewed in detail to arrive at a diagnosis and plan her treatment. It is treatable and I advise you to take her to a Pychiatrist, may be to a nearby city if you do not rely on your local doctor. As she starts improving visits become less frequent. Delaying the treatment may lead to complications and non response.