Rafael Lopez, MD

Psychiatrist

Dr. Rafael Lopez is a Psychiatrist in Fort Myers, FL with special training and skill in diagnosing and treating people with mental illness. As a Psychiatrist, Rafael Lopez, MD performs mental health assessment, helps patients manage long-term mental health conditions, offers medical treatment and therapy for a wide variety of psychological disorders, provides patient and parent education, and offers referrals to other medical specialists as needed. Psychiatry is a medical specialty centered on diagnosing and treating patients suffering from a wide variety of mental illnesses and cognitive disorders. Significant diseases and conditions treated by Psychiatrists include anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), delusional thought processes, self-harm disorders, eating disorders, specific phobias, drug, alcohol, and gambling addiction, and mood disorders. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Psychiatrists include mental health evaluation and diagnosis, psychotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), electroconvulsive therapy, medication prescription, exposure therapy, grief counseling, marriage counseling, and referral to other specialists as needed.

A Psychiatrist specializes in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders, emotional disorders, psychotic disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance-related disorders, sexual and gender identity disorders and adjustment disorders. Biologic, psychological, and social components of illnesses are explored and understood in treatment of the whole person. Tools used may include diagnostic laboratory tests, prescribed medications, evaluation and treatment of psychological and interpersonal problems with individuals and families, and intervention for coping with stress, crises, and other problems.

Neuropsychologist

Dr. Rafael Lopez is a Neuropsychologist in Fort Myers, FL with special training and skill in evaluating and treating nervous system disorders, then determining how illnesses, injuries, and diseases of the brain and nervous system influence the way a patient feels, thinks, and behaves. As a Neuropsychologist, Rafael Lopez, MD performs the evaluation, assessment, and diagnosis of various brain conditions. Neuropsychology is the study and evaluation of the relationship between the brain and behavior in order to treat dysfunctions in that relationship. Significant diseases and conditions treated by Neuropsychologists include headaches, Parkinson's disease, movement disorders like epilepsy, as well as memory and cognitive disorders. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Neuropsychologists include bedside cognitive and behavioral neurologic screens; evaluation of intelligence, executive functions (such as planning, abstraction, conceptualization), attention, memory, language, perception, sensorimotor functions, motivation, mood state and emotion, quality of life, and personality styles.

A clinical psychologist who applies principles of assessment and intervention based upon the scientific study of human behavior as it relates to normal and abnormal functioning of the central nervous system. The specialty is dedicated to enhancing the understanding of brain-behavior relationships and the application of such knowledge to human problems.