Today, more than one in five Americans are caregivers, providing care to an adult or child with special needs at some time in the past 12 months. Given this sobering statistic, I’m surprised we do not see as many health narratives written by care…
Category: Psychiatry
Cosmetic surgeons’ contribution to mental health
The global cosmetic surgery market has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years—in 2021, it was valued at $67.3 billion, and projections suggest it will reach a staggering $201 billion by 2031, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.6 perce…
The role of institutions in medical misconduct
There are no words more devastating than, “Our hands are tied” to a survivor reporting abuse and seeking some semblance of accountability from a larger institution. “The institution admitted no fault” is a close second. Picture …
Innovations in mental health care solutions [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Join Tom Zaubler, a psychiatrist and physician executive, for a discussion on the shortage of behavioral health professionals in the United States. We’ll explore its impact, the surge…
Lessons from VA hospitals: Meeting basic needs improves wellbeing
I started my career at a state hospital but transitioned to a VA hospital in 2007. I had been a resident at the hospital and was familiar with the unit and population. The unit had 19 beds, and typically these were filled. Often, admissions were for cr…
Skills for resident physicians to increase distress tolerance
Picture yourself as a junior resident on morning rounds with a senior and a rotating intern. You’ve been up almost all night on call, and you’re almost at the end of the patient list. Your senior asks you about the next patient, and you stu…
A doctor’s journey through narcissistic abuse [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! Join Karla Lester, a pediatrician and certified life and weight coach, as she shares her compelling journey from dedicated medical professional to a survivor of narcissistic abuse within th…
America’s young men are facing a mental health crisis. Can we help them before it’s too late?
September was National Suicide Prevention Month. In a short while, we also approach the 41st birthday of the late Stephen “tWitch” Boss, a widely beloved dancer and executive producer of The Ellen DeGeneres Show whose death by suicide is st…
The essence of health narratives, including poetry
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 …
How to facilitate caregiver learning and support to improve clinical care outcomes
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…
