You can’t tell how much someone is suffering by looking at them—one reason I don’t share my journey with anorexia using photos to signify my mental health status. I’ve suffered more when appearing well, and “before and after pho…
Category: Psychiatry
Ways to overcome the grief of disillusionment about medicine
As a physician who cares about patients’ health and well-being, you have likely experienced the grief of disillusionment. You spent years in college, medical school, and residency, imagining the kind of health care you’d provide. It would b…
The erosion of autonomy in sports and medicine
The fourth major concussion recently suffered by Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa – his third in 24 months – brings into sharp focus the balance between patient/player autonomy and treatment decisions. The right to self-determination, even in …
If these words can save a life, they must be spoken
When people don’t understand the depths of hell the brain can take someone to, I am relieved for them. And I am also grateful for the journey I’ve been on—I would never have understood how someone who appeared “successful” on pa…
How a friend’s kindness saved me from my darkest hour
An excerpt from The Problem with Men. Gary could tell something was wrong the moment he saw me. “Come in, friend,” he said, his voice gentle. He guided me into the kitchen, a cozy, older space similar to the one in my apartment across the street,…
Physician Suicide Awareness Day: a call to action against the silent epidemic
Physician Suicide Awareness Day comes and goes each September, bringing with it the sad and perplexing realization that physicians usually top the lists of professionals most likely to take their own lives—something often described as the “silent…
How measurement-informed therapy is changing mental health [PODCAST]
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! We sit down with Kevin Ramotar, a clinical psychologist and health care executive, to explore the evolving landscape of mental health care. We dive into the challenges of …
What medicine never taught me about parenting a child with ADHD
Once again, I found myself balled up on the kitchen floor, head between my knees, sobbing. My shoulders shook, and my chest heaved as I gasped for air, but air wouldn’t be enough. What I was truly gasping for was hope, something that had eluded m…
Medical gaslighting and strategies to combat it
An excerpt from Story Treasures: Medical Essays and Insights in the Narrative Tradition. The Gish gallop – named after American creationist Duane Gish, who challenged the science of evolution – is a rhetorical technique often used by a debater to throw…
Fighting burnout with deeper human connections
Kim Downey: Fostering meaningful connections and building a supportive community has become my mission as I work to stand up for and alongside doctors. I recently connected Dr. Wael Saasouh with Lisa Scardina. During our thought-provoking conversation,…
