My longtime psychiatrist died by suicide. It still doesn’t seem real. It’s nearly impossible to accept that someone who had the talent and resources to help so many others couldn’t avail himself of the help that he needed. It’s …
Category: Psychiatry
Medical workplace bullying: We just want it to stop
Health care is increasingly complex. Objective peer review, constructive feedback, and robust debate are essential to continually improve the quality of patient care. But doctors don’t always disagree well. One of the contributing factors to bullying i…
Why aren’t patients with eating problems following your advice?
What do you think about your patients whom you believe need to lose weight? Do you consider them lazy or non-compliant? Or wonder why they don’t they take better care of themselves and listen to your diet or exercise advice? You’re not alone in feeling…
It’s important to keep tight controls on benzodiazepines
When I completed my residency training in 2017 I never imagined so much of my clinical efforts would be directed towards educating patients about controlled substances. As I stepped into clinical practice and took over patients who had long-term relati…
A physician’s first 100 days on Twitter
Since finishing my medical training recently, many of my friends have embraced their newfound freedom as attendings in traditional ways: reviving long-neglected hobbies, finally exercising regularly, enjoying more time with loved ones. Me? I joined Twi…
How the influence of a grandfather affects this physician
I remember Grandpa Larry’s visits remarkably vividly. He would lumber into the house hunched over, grunting loudly and reeking of cigarettes. He was unshaven and haggard, with wild grey-black hair streaking out horizontally from the sides of his head. …
A veteran tells an unexpected story
“You ever work with vets?” asks the young man sitting across from me in the hospital waiting room. He’s been sitting there all morning. So have I. Since 5:30 a.m., my father-in-law, 88, has been undergoing surgery to remove a tumor in…
The sweet path to hell: addiction in medical professionals
K: “I was assaulted by an intoxicated female. She punched me and ruptured two discs in my back. I lost my whole self. I could no longer take the CPR course required. I lost my income that was supporting me and my three children. I needed the narcotics …
It’s time to acknowledge the developmental behavioral pediatric workforce
There are roughly 15 percent of the nation’s children who suffer from a developmental-behavioral condition or about 1 in 6 children. Unfortunately, many of those children often do not get the help they need. Children with developmental and behavioral c…
The value of personal narratives in addiction treatment and integrated care
I was standing behind my trolley in our local supermarket when, in my wallet, I came across that drawing of a human heart. In the miniature pen-and-ink composition, the heart is suspended between two birds’ wings. At the bottom is a dateline: Opioid Vi…
