Kim Downey:
Pulling into my driveway, I grabbed a handful of envelopes from the mailbox, one of which was from my doctor’s office. I could tell it wasn’t a bill, and I became anxious. Upon opening it, I was relieved to find that it wasn’t about my doctor leaving his practice or that anything had happened to him. Rather, it was a notification that another doctor I’d seen once was leaving. …
An excerpt from Unlike the Rest: A Doctor’s Story © 2024. Published by HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
I was trained in my first month of residency, during onboarding, to always position myself closest to the door when interviewing a patient, as situations can escalate quickly and become potentially dangerous. “If a patient stands, you stand,” my preceptor said to me during safety training. Her words came back to …
Living with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) or long COVID can transform every aspect of life, including one that often feels too delicate or taboo to address: sex and intimacy. These conditions introduce physical limitations, emotional strain, and communication challenges that can make intimacy feel out of reach. But here’s the truth: intimacy is possible—it just looks different, and that’s OK!
Understanding the impact of ME/CFS and long COVID on intimacy
Both …
Dear medicine,
We need to take a break. I’ve finally realized that this relationship isn’t healthy for me—in fact, it’s borderline abusive. For a long time, I didn’t realize I was in an abusive relationship. We’re taught that it’s OK when patients curse at us, threaten us, and even sometimes physically assault us. Unfortunately, for many of us, medicine checks many of the boxes of abusive relationships.
Not realizing we’re in an …
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!
We explore the complexities of social anxiety with renowned psychotherapist Jonathan Berent. We delve into two contrasting cases: a high-achieving physician facing performance anxiety and a young adult paralyzed by avoidance. Jonathan shares …
A fellow writer and I were having an online exchange. She said her painting was being interrupted by bursts of writing. She texted, “I’m writing about how storytelling is liberating itself from commerce, politics, religion, and emerging as medicine and culture.”
I asked if I could use her quote as my biographical tagline. On my LinkedIn profile I could say: “I write about how storytelling liberates us from commerce, politics, and …
Rachel was making her 25th visit to the emergency department. The wound on her leg from injecting drugs had spread to her entire calf and required a lengthy course of antibiotic treatment in the hospital. The few times she had been admitted to the hospital, she had left without finishing treatment because the pain and withdrawal symptoms were too much to bear. On her most recent visit, she finally stayed to …
I don’t know when the word burnout came into my vocabulary, but I feel that we use it constantly in our health care world today. I always thought I was immune to this concept of burnout. My self-talk was that I was strong and nothing would ever happen to me. As a psychiatrist and a yoga practitioner, I thought I was better equipped to “handle my feelings” and be in …
Group therapy can be a powerful treatment modality when done right. Research affirms it as equally effective compared to individual therapy, and the relatively lower cost puts this service within reach of patients who struggle to access behavioral health care due to financial constraints.
Meeting the growing need for mental health support in the United States, recent research published by American Psychologist states that group therapy could save more than $5.6 …
In a post-election fog on the morning of November 6, I attended my third-grade daughter’s Veteran’s Day assembly. It was deeply moving and full of the trust, hope, and optimism that we want all children to have. They enthusiastically sang “Proud to Be an American” and a less well-known song, “American Tears.” The lyrics hit hard that morning in the auditorium, and many of the audience members were shedding them. …
Famous artists and athletes who succumbed to suicide:
Robin Williams (American actor and comedian) – August 11, 2014; 63 years old.
Anthony Bourdain (American celebrity chef, author, travel documentarian) – June 8, 2018; 61 years old.
Robert Enke (German goalkeeper, part of German national soccer team) – November 10, 2009; 32 years old.
Goo Hara (South Korean singer and actor) – November 24, 2019; 28 years old.
Ruslana Korshunova (Kazakhstani model) – June 28, 2008; …
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned on my hero’s journey is the importance of learning to accept ourselves (our full selves).
I couldn’t sit across from patients, clients, friends, or family members the way I wanted to until I started to love all parts of me. When I am grounded in love for all parts of me, I show up differently. I show up better able to love all parts …
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs focus, attention, and behavioral control. ADHD hinders and compromises major life activities. Initially considered exclusively a disorder afflicting children and adolescents, it is now widely accepted that ADHD continues into adulthood, impacting the lives of those plagued by this impairment and disability. Furthermore, ADHD symptoms may fluctuate over the lifespan of an individual who struggles with a myriad of …
The U.S. is grappling with a mental health crisis. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that one in five US adults live with a mental illness. This includes disorders such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and more, ranging in severity from mild-moderate to severe.
Telehealth has proven to be an effective tool in addressing the crisis by improving access to care, reducing stigma, and providing flexible, timely support.
Imagine …
As someone working in the health care field, I have become all too familiar with the need for early intervention and how important it can be for a child’s overall progress.
There are parents who travel to larger states in search of better medical care and services, of which early intervention is a significant one. One particular case comes to mind, where Spanish-speaking parents sought early intervention for their daughter, but …
The state of mental health care in the U.S. is dire, and with the telehealth prescription waivers projected to expire at the end of the year, it’s only going to get worse. If a temporary extension is granted, we can leverage technology and present data for clearer decisions moving forward, if it is not, we are leaving patients and clinicians without a clear understanding of how to care for their …
Much has been written about Robert F Kennedy Jr.’s radical health plans to eliminate fluoride from the drinking water and suppress vaccines, among other lame-brain schemes. But relatively few people are aware of his anti-psychiatry views, possibly endangering the health of a large swath of the populace.
Kennedy is pitching the idea that users of illicit drugs be sent to the “wellness farms,” and users of antidepressants and ADHD medications should …
It was that bewitching hour. 0300. Behavioral health unit/behavioral health intensive care unit.
She was a small young woman. Her eyes appeared black as coal, as if her soul had been sucked out repeatedly. There were bruises around her eyes, black and blue punch marks up and down her arms. Several superficial cuts on her forearm—self-destruction. She was quiet, almost invisible. She wanted to sit in the corner of her bed, …
Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!
We dive into the intricate world of food choices, body image, and the science behind nutrition myths with psychologist and author Charlotte Markey. Charlotte unpacks the sometimes overwhelming dietary information people encounter daily, …
Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.
