Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-12-12
STOP KILLING
YOURSELF
By Dr.. Peter J. steincrohn

anxiety whose universal COM
plant is that they are
doomed to 60 on living a dole
full life. They have given
up hope that they will ever
overcome their fears and
misery.
CHRONIC ANXIETY can
be q long draWn-out illness,
but I have stressed the I'M
portance Of courage, and de-
veloping the will to fight I'M
til 1t is overcome. l. have
known many patients who
actually pulled themselves up
from the dark into the sun
light. The main thing is to
find a sympathetic doctor to
lean on when things seem
almost unbearable. Consider
this letter: ~
Dear DR.. Steincrohn: You
wrote In your column that
chronic anxiety is one Of
''mankind's greatest trials"
You are so right.
I want to send. my best
wishes, hope and encourage
ment to Mrs. X, who wrote
to you about her suffering.
I've been through the same
misery. I had the added bur-
den of deep depression, and a
psychosis, yet ] am happy
to report that ] made a COM
plete recovery. Then life be-
came not1only endurable, but
enjoyable. -
Others who have had to 60
through this awful anguish
are now well and happy. Go
On talking freely to your doc
tor. Take whatever treat
uaent and medication he pre-
scribes. Have faith In God
and your doctor.
I, too, was discouraged, be-
cause progress is so slow. But
it can be made. Recovery
can be achieved. / hope you
viii soon be well, and that
life will be- a Joy for you
again.
When ! wss in the night
mare of mental and emo
tional illness, I kept think
ing of q friend who had
struggled through to good
health. I thought over and
over, IF she can do it, ! can
do it," And / did. ! hope
this letter Of encouragement
does the same for you, Mrs.
x. Good duck. I am roofing
for you.-Mrs. B.
-
I keep wondering about the
diagnosis. My doctor says I
have angina pectoris, yet he
admits that all the tests are
negative. I'd certainly hate
to have the label of coronary
disease pinned on me unless
I was sure I had 1t. What
do you think?-Mrs. G.
ON OCCASION in previ-
Gus columns I have dicussed
similar problems. Like you,
people wondered how they
could have angina when the
Observation-Disclosures were neg
alive. But it's true, This
is possible.
Many's the case I dag
nosed as angina in whom the
resting and exercise" cleo
trocardiograms didn't show
any abnormal changes. The
diagnosis can be made on q
careful history and after
other possible conditions that
resemble angina are ruled
out. For example, the doc
tor must be sure that the
patient hasn't a hiatal hernia
Stomach slipping up into the
chest) or chronic gall blad-
der trouble-each of which
can produce symptoms SINH
lar to those found in angina.
Sometimes arthritis apes
angina.
But the careful history
usually tells the story. For
example, here Is the typical
case: There is a history Of
coronary disease in the fam
uy. The patient Is usually
Soyer 40 and complains Of
ehest pain or a smothering
sSeling across the chest aft
Ter exertion or a temper tan
tznm.
Sometimes there Is pain in
the arm right down into the
wrist. The pain gets so Sc
vere he has to stop walking.
Alter resting for q few min
utes or taking Q nitroglycer-
Inc tablet under his tongue,
the pain disappears. He win
tell you that the pain usually
comes on II he walks fast,
after a heavy meal. and in
cold weather.
My advice Is that you &C
cept the diagnosis Of angina
made by a competent doctor
even though electrocardio-
grams are negative.
(Bell Syndicate Featured
DR.. Stetncrohn's Iedtlet,
when to Suspect Your Gall
Bladder" tDiH be mailed on
receipt OF a self-addressed,
stamped envelope aud 10
cents In coin for handling.
Address Or, Steincrohn In
care OF The Euenino Star.