I thought it would be easier than ICU nursing. After 33 years as an ICU nurse, I had to leave. I just couldn’t take the pounding on the chests of little old men and women. Hearing and feeling their ribs crack while CPR was performed. I couldnR…
Category: Psychiatry
PPE: psychiatrist presenting emotion
Out of all the fields of medical practice, the field of psychiatry is the most unlikely place to be wearing a mask. My fellow physicians in hospitals, operating rooms and clinics typically had masks ready to utilize for several procedures long before C…
The horror of darkened hearts
In 2016, I published A Tale of Two Epidemics in the Harvard Health Blog. Sadly, our current pandemic has joined with health professional burnout and the opioid epidemic to gobsmack us with virus-infused spittle. Although doctors and nurses have stepped…
A psychiatrist’s part-time journey [PODCAST]
“She kept quiet, but she had planted the seed. Interestingly I did not talk much about work during the appointment, so her question stirred my thoughts. Why did she think it was work-related? I started to look at my daily routine. I was able to r…
What do we do with our sadness and anger?
When my boys were little, they responded to frustration differently. One would get angry, throw toys, yell, bite, refuse to cooperate. The other would become pitifully sad, appearing abandoned or lonely. The sad one received more attention because when…
How to stop sabotaging yourself
Doctors have already proven their worth. We have succeeded beyond what most of the population will achieve. And yet, there are certain goals we cannot seem to achieve. And the worst part is that we know we could do it, and the person getting in our way…
How the pandemic affected teen mental health and substance abuse [PODCAST]
“Two issues drive teen substance use: drug availability and perception of risk. Availability: Today’s teens know that obtaining substances is far too easy. For example, 70 percent of high school seniors say marijuana is either “fairly easy” or “v…
How the pandemic affected teen mental health and substance abuse [PODCAST]
“Two issues drive teen substance use: drug availability and perception of risk. Availability: Today’s teens know that obtaining substances is far too easy. For example, 70 percent of high school seniors say marijuana is either “fairly easy” or “v…
Trauma in health care workers, in comic form
Emily Watters is a physician and discusses trauma in health care workers, in comic form (click to enlarge): Emily Watters is a psychiatrist and can be reached at The Cartoon Shrink. Image credits: Emily Watters
Trauma in health care workers, in comic f…
New strategies are needed for mental health treatment [PODCAST]
“Reducing the occurrence of comorbid mental and physical disorders will require an integrated model combining medical and behavioral health care services. The window of opportunity is open for health insurers and employers to invest in employee a…
