If you want to know whether a standard-of-care medication will work to treat your depression, flip a coin. More than half of all patients treated for major depressive disorder (MDD), the clinical name for what is typically thought of as depression, don…
The blogging universe mourns the loss of a remarkable figure, Heather Armstrong, fondly known as the “Queen of the Mommy Bloggers.” Armstrong’s blog, Dooce, was a sanctuary for mothers and individuals wrestling with mental health issu…
With the coming end of the public health emergency, our three-year pandemic will be officially (if not completely) over, and we will be left to contemplate what’s next. As much as we’d all appreciate a return to normal, we may be better off…
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Catch up on old episodes! In this episode, we speak with Colin Campbell, author of Finding the Words: Working Through Profound Loss with Hope and Purpose. Colin shares his personal experience of losing his children …
The Kentucky Derby is an annual horse race held in Louisville, Kentucky, on the first Saturday in May. It is considered one of the most prestigious horse races in the world and is the first leg of the Triple Crown of thoroughbred racing, followed by Pr…
I won’t judge you for asking for help because that is how I hope you treat me. It took me five years to accept the fact that I needed help. As I pursued athletic endeavors at the highest level in high school and college, my mind developed a twist…
Burnout is an increasingly common phenomenon affecting approximately 63 percent of physicians. The etiology is multifactorial, with excessive workloads leading to sleep deprivation and curtailed self-care. Social media is a significant contributor to b…
My brother and I like to swap stories about our medical encounters. I suppose our ages – 69 for me and 74 for him – lead to varied encounters and tales. “It’s a sh*t-show,” he tells me from his home on Martha’s Vineyard. “…
As physicians, we are bound by four ethical principles. Beneficence (acting for the benefit of the patient), nonmaleficence (avoiding the harm of the patient), autonomy (respecting patients’ right to make their own decisions), and justice (fair a…
Imagine that you are suffering from chronic pain. The pain keeps you awake at night so you don’t get much sleep. Lack of sleep most nights and the ensuing chronic fatigue causes you some anxiety during the day. Your primary care physician suggests that…
