In the vast universe of all that has been written, writing about loss, illness, and death is probably second only to writing about intimacy, relationships, and longing. In the world of narrative medicine, the order is reversed. Patients are harnessing the power of writing, sharing, and telling stories of health and sickness using personal narratives to navigate illness, trauma, and grief. The experience of being ill is made less isolating …
Caregivers are arguably the most important members of a patient’s care team, with more touchpoints and access to a patient and their lifestyle than any provider or specialist. With approximately 43.5 million caregivers in the U.S., 40 percent are in high-burden situations where caregivers take on substantial cumulative physical, emotional, social, and financial strains to care for a person with a disability or chronic, complex disease. Within these situations, …
Mental health in children and teens is worsening, and there are not enough providers to support them. This is a cause for significant concern.
As a teenager who has experienced firsthand the challenges of maintaining positive mental health amidst a demanding school environment, I strongly advocate for the inclusion of mental health days as a means to support the well-being of students nationwide. May has been observed as …
The mediation was scheduled for noon. When the attorney in charge of the mediation was an hour late, his assistant began earnestly to find him. This was not typical behavior at all. A phone call to the condominium where the attorney lived sent security guards to his residence and then to the parking garage, where they found him slumped behind the wheel, seat belt securely fastened, and his keys in …
What does it take for physicians to practice with conviction – to practice medicine with a sense of confidence and commitment, passionate about your work? What factors allow medical students to enter the resident pool each July and turn their timidness into poise? How do you learn to stand by your medical convictions and base your decision-making on a deep understanding of the patient combined with the latest evidence-based practices? …
In recent years, public attention has been focused on the presence of Fentanyl-laced cocaine. It has overshadowed another new threat just as heinous yet relatively unknown – that of levamisole. Since the turn of the century, the use of levamisole has grown as a “filler” to cut or increase the amount of cocaine sold. Other than for veterinary use, this compound has been largely abandoned by human medicine due to …
Research reveals that most caregivers of people living with schizophrenia are family members (94 percent), and oftentimes, the journey of the caregiver can be just as challenging as that of the patient, whether they’re newly diagnosed or have been managing the condition for years.
As they navigate the journey together, it’s important that patients have a support system and that caregivers are educated on the disease and treatment options, and …
Americans die younger than people living in other wealthy nations. A lot younger. That’s been the case since the early 1980s, and it’s getting worse. A lot worse. Since 1980, 13.1 million American lives have been lost relative to other wealthy nations.
Did we even see this in the news? The entire population of the Los Angeles metropolitan statistical area lost in a little over 40 years. Over 2 million were …
Wait times to find high-quality mental health support continue to be an issue, lagging from weeks to months in, leading to primary care physicians (PCPs) assuming a large role in addressing the pressing shortage of mental health services. Acting as the point of entry into the mental health care system, PCPs are encountering patients with complex mental health challenges who are often unable to secure appointments with specialists for …
Since the pandemic, the shortage of behavioral health professionals has become more dire as the need for more comprehensive mental health care has increased. As of March 2023, 160 million Americans lived in areas with mental health professional shortages. 55% of counties in the U.S. have no psychiatrists, and 77% report a severe shortage.
In some states, such as Maine, there was a 50% drop in the number of …
I am struck by how often crying is overlooked or trivialized by doctors despite its therapeutic value and need for recognition. Crying can play a significant role in healing and overall well-being. Research has shown that crying serves as an emotional release, provides pain relief, reduces stress, improves mood, and enhances communication. Encouraging a culture of acceptance and understanding around crying in medical settings can contribute to holistic and empathetic …
Viktor Frankl’s Holocaust memoir, Man’s Search for Meaning, is an extraordinary essay on resilience and spirituality, a reminder that human life, under any circumstances, never ceases to have meaning. At the risk of mentioning Bob Dylan in the same sentence as Viktor Frankl, it was Dylan who said: “When you ain’t got nothing, you got nothing to lose.” I suppose Bob Dylan read the book too, ranked …
In the world of medicine, the challenges faced by BIPOC physicians are multifaceted. Not only do they contend with the rigor and demands of the profession, but they also navigate unique societal pressures and systemic inequalities. Prioritizing mental health, fostering a strong sense of purpose, and nurturing empowerment become essential tools for maintaining well-being. In this blog post, we will explore the distinct challenges encountered by BIPOC physicians and provide …
Has there ever been a time you judged yourself? Or that one time you resented yourself and repeatedly went over that event, thinking, “Gee, I wish I could’ve changed that one thing.” Has there ever been a time where you’ve said, “I’ll never be able to forgive myself”? Then, you begin to complain incessantly and blame others. “I see too many patients. There’s too much paperwork. Can you believe that …
When it comes to addiction treatment, doctors have a superpower. Even if you’re not board certified in addiction (most of us are not), you possess knowledge and skills uniquely suited to caring for patients with addiction. Many professions purport to treat patients with substance use disorder, but the physician’s toolkit makes us uniquely effective at treating people with addiction. I can teach you how to unlock this hidden power if …
I am rattled as I read the headlines. Another bright, incredible physician has ended her life. I feel numb with horror as I read the details. I want to scream, cry, and punch the wall. Wiping my tears away, I try to focus on the needs of my whining toddler as she tugs at my dress.
I am in mourning for every doctor’s death by suicide. Yes, for every one of …
Imagine this …
You’re shown a number of words one after another: “lettuce, tomato, green, head, vegetable, cabbage, carrot, food, leaf, salad, hamburger.” Then, you’re shown a different set of words: “thread, needle, shot, nurse, drugs, alcohol, wine, cheese, mouse, cat, dog, bone.” Notice any difference between the two chains of words – or even how you feel?
These two sets of words were part of a groundbreaking Massachusetts General Hospital and …
Spring is an interesting time of the year for me. April 15 may actually be my favorite day, but certainly not because income taxes are due. My dad was born on April 15, but that’s not the reason either.
Let me set the scene. I lived in a beautiful home in a wooded area outside Philadelphia for ten years. The area is known as the Brandywine Valley. It’s the site of the …
In the realm of leadership development, an array of groundbreaking initiatives is surfacing, igniting profound transformations on multiple fronts. Resilience programs, in particular, are equipping leaders with the agility to navigate our fast-paced world and fostering the internal adaptability essential for constant change. Yet, despite these promising strides, a disconcerting surge in anxiety, stress, and burnout among executives has emerged.
Startling statistics underscore this disconcerting trend. In 2022, a staggering 31% …
Like many psychiatrists, I have scoffed every time I’ve heard about artificial intelligence providing psychotherapy or other mental health care. How could patients not notice the difference between me and a bot, or how could they not care? Yet this is a direction that is being actively explored in mental health care as a way of increasing access and reducing stigma, with multiple AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants on the …
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