Category: Conditions

Tips to help you overcome your pandemic bad habits

When the COVID-19 pandemic began in the U.S., and states issued stay-at-home orders, many people vowed to use their time at home positively, learning new skills, virtually volunteering, and getting into shape. Now, more than a year into the pandemic, m…

A resignation letter to my patients: How do I leave you well?

Before I walk into clinic, I already know their response if I submitted my resignation letter today. I hear it monthly from multiple patients who have no reason to believe I’m leaving: “You aren’t going to leave too, are you?” &…

Pay attention to the mental health of medical trainees during COVID-19

In recent years, the medical community has recognized that burnout — a sense of exhaustion, loss of motivation, and growing cynicism — is prevalent among physicians and other medical providers. We’ve also learned that stress and burnout are exper…

Stop the spread of vaccine disinformation: a story in pictures

Emily Watters is a physician who explains vaccine disinformation and how it spreads (click to enlarge): Emily Watters is a psychiatrist and can be reached at The Cartoon Shrink. Image credits: Emily Watters
Stop the spread of vaccine disinformation: a …

After COVID, now my soul can rest a little easier

I had been searching for a year. Because of the pandemic, despite the pandemic and to heal from the pandemic. Finally in May this year, I was gifted what seemed to have become an impossible task. I messaged the hospital manager: “The trees have arrived…

We need to do better: Caring for patients after cancer treatment

The number of cancer survivors currently in the U.S. is around 15 million. With the rapid advancement of improved treatments and early detection, this number is expected to increase to over 20 million by 2026. I am lucky enough to be one of the survivo…

Nothing prepared me for telehealth’s nightmare

The orders from the state seemed to come suddenly, although we all knew we would have to adjust our methods of treating our clients, the news wasn’t good, and seeing anyone in person was treacherous since many still thought it was a hoax and they didn’…

How I accepted hair loss at 19

I will never forget the first time my thinning hairline hit me in the face with an openhanded, five-finger slap. It was in February of 2014, the spring semester of my freshman year in (undergraduate) college. I was only 18 at the time. A then-football …

The angel of Angelman syndrome

If they had asked me to make a wish before I met him, it might have very possibly been for eternal happiness. I’d wish for happiness that floods the air with endless melodies and makes the soul sing, just like how a Disney princess. But I had met…

Medical gaslighting due to weight stigma and bias is harmful: a viral TikTok study

“We need to stop weight shaming people & not make them fearful of seeing a Dr., but we also need to find a supportive way to talk about obesity.” – TikTok commenter “You’ve got to get on TikTok,” everyone kept saying. Launching a web-based li…