What would you expect to see if you threw a pebble in a pond? You would likely see a ripple in the water, extending wider than the diameter of the pebble. Seeing a pebble drop into a pond and create ripples is always mesmerizing. It’s amazing to …
Category: Psychiatry
Miscommunication leads to misunderstandings: the tragic consequences of misinterpreted sobriety
At her first visit, still lightly jaundiced, Jennie wanted to talk about a liver transplant. I told her that she had to be sober for six months before they would consider putting her on the list. She told me proudly that she had been sober for three we…
Breaking free from corporate medicine: one doctor’s quest for ethical care
An excerpt from If I Betray These Words: Moral Injury in Medicine and Why It’s So Hard for Clinicians to Put Patients First. In late March 2021, during a lull between the third and fourth waves of the coronavirus pandemic, I drove to the small to…
Does ageism lurk behind mandatory retirement for physicians?
Several years ago, a good friend and colleague – the chairman of a psychiatry department – notified people about his retirement in a department newsletter. He wrote, “I sent out a letter to the alumni and adjunct faculty that I will retire on Jun…
Finding emotional presence in a dehumanizing system: a physician’s journey
Virtue and self-sacrifice were supposed to be my protection. As a first-generation immigrant, the necessity of hard work had long been ingrained like a birthmark. I never questioned the belief if I overworked and overprepared, I would fulfill my respon…
The rise of spiritual science: Uniting the soul and science
Until recently, mainstream science has not recognized the field of spiritual science because the consensus has been that science and spirit (soul) are like oil and vinegar — they do not mix. Science is all about facts and evidence relative to the hypot…
The hidden illness: Understanding and overcoming depersonalization-derealization disorder
A strange mental health issue affects millions of people every year. Yet, almost no one in the medical community is aware of it. Many suffer in silence without having the right guidance and support. In this article, I’d like to help you understan…
Assess your tech health in 2023: How screen use is affecting your life and ways to improve
My patient, a retired teacher, looked embarrassed as he said it. “I don’t have a smartphone. I don’t have a computer.” I had to check the readings — somehow, despite this lack of technology in his life, his heart rate was perfec…
Breathing your way out of stress: the simple solution to a growing epidemic
Stress is ubiquitous, and Americans are struggling to deal with it effectively. The tag #mentalhealth on TikTok has amassed 65.5 billion views and counting. Still not sure about that? Answer this question quickly: What do you do when you’re hung…
Hug it out: the power of oxytocin on Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day marks the most romantic day of the year. For this Hallmark holiday, this country displays our love for each other by spending approximately $25 billion on cards, roses, chocolates, and dinners. Why so much? WTF! Like one’s d…
