Psychiatry

PTSD: Why trauma’s impact is more complex than you think

Conditions
November 16, 2024

According to the National Institutes of Health, the majority of individuals experience several traumatic events in their lifetimes, but do they all develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? If you question the general populace or the media, they would indicate that PTSD is extremely common. Although it varies by sub-population, for the general populace, 13 and above, the rate of diagnosed PTSD is 4 percent to 8 percent. It is highest …

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The urgent need for equity and accessibility in pediatric mental health care

Conditions
November 15, 2024

Recently, I encountered a stark reminder of the challenges facing our mental health care system. A 16-year-old Black boy came to us at Boston Community Pediatrics (BCP) in a state of crisis, expressing suicidal thoughts and a deep sense of fear. As part of our integrated behavioral health model, my mental health colleague and I immediately recognized the urgency of his situation. We arranged for an Uber to transport him …

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The dangerous impact of cognitive distortions on grieving

Conditions
November 15, 2024

In the weeks after her mother died, Stacy’s mind was filled with thoughts about things she believed she’d done wrong and ways she’d let her mother down. “I shouldn’t have gotten so impatient with her”; “I should have been kinder, should have spent more time with her.” She was even tormented by the inaccurate belief that she had caused her mother’s death by failing to “try harder to get her …

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Bridging worlds through the language of neurodiversity

Conditions
November 7, 2024

I spend most of my working hours trying to unlock superpowers. When I chose to pursue medicine—pediatrics, and later, developmental behavioral pediatrics—I didn’t realize I would be learning to decode languages. These languages aren’t always spoken, yet over time, I’ve developed a sharp instinct for reading them. Every time I step into an exam room, my task is to slowly unravel how a child sees the world, communicates with it, …

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The challenges and triumphs of self-publishing in a conventional world

Physician
November 6, 2024

Over the past several months, I’ve’ been busy assembling various essays into a book—essays I’ve written and published here on KevinMD and elsewhere. The manuscript is now complete. Here’s a brief pitch I’ve given to about two dozen publishers (I do not have an agent):

Dear Acquisitions Editor:

I am writing to ascertain your interest in publishing my manuscript tentatively titled Narrative Rx: A Quick Guide to Narrative Medicine for Students, Residents, …

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How to protect your child from suicidal thoughts [PODCAST]

Podcast
November 2, 2024
YouTube video

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We speak with Shivana Naidoo, a child psychiatrist, about the critical steps parents can take to prevent youth suicide. Shivana shares practical advice on recognizing early warning signs, creating a safer home environment …

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When high achievers and isolated adults share a common enemy: social anxiety

Conditions
November 2, 2024

Karen, age 46, mother of two, is a world-renowned physician who has headed numerous clinical trials and has saved many lives. She suffered from public speaking anxiety disorder. Mike, age 26, a college graduate, spends most of his life in his room. He doesn’t work, is socially paralyzed, and spends over 100 hours a week with various technology dependencies. His parents walk on “eggshells” for fear of triggering his anger. …

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Why parents today are more stressed than ever—and how we can help [PODCAST]

Podcast
October 30, 2024
YouTube video

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We sit down with Marissa Caudill, a psychiatrist specializing in child, adolescent, and adult mental health, to explore the findings from the U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory “Parents Under Pressure.” We discuss the skyrocketing …

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Work-life balance in health care: Is it a need or a necessity?

Conditions
October 27, 2024

As health care professionals, have you ever stopped and asked yourself, “How am I doing?”

A humble doctor once asked my team, “How are you doing on a personal level?” That question stopped me in my tracks. None of us knew how to answer. Were we okay? Were we coping? Maybe we were, but maybe we weren’t. The truth was, we didn’t know. His question echoed in my mind for days, …

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The widow’s walk: a poignant tale of loss, love, and recovery

Conditions
October 25, 2024

A widow’s walk, also known as a widow’s watch or roof walk, is a railed rooftop platform often having an inner cupola or turret, frequently found on 19th-century North American coastal houses. The name is said to come from the wives of mariners, who would watch for their spouses’ return, often in vain, as the ocean took their lives, leaving the women widows. In other coastal communities, the platforms were …

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Nurses sue over trans colleague’s actions

Physician
October 22, 2024

Eight female nurses at a United Kingdom hospital are suing their employer for not assuring their psychological and physical safety. The nurses work in specialized areas that require their changing uniforms once daily. There is a trans-female nurse, similarly specialized, who changes with them. He wanders about the locker room in briefs or nude, the women report, ogling them as they exchange clothing. It has also been related that he …

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Is the surge in adult ADHD diagnoses helping or harming patients?

Conditions
October 21, 2024

As an outpatient adult psychiatrist, I have witnessed an increasing trend of patients seeking a diagnosis of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Often, these patients have had friends or family members diagnosed with the condition and wonder whether they have it as well. They have read about ADHD online and felt that the described symptoms matched perfectly with their lived experience.  They were never diagnosed as children but remember …

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Near-death experiences: What doctors need to know but aren’t taught [PODCAST]

Podcast
October 19, 2024
YouTube video

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In this episode, we delve into a fascinating yet often overlooked medical phenomenon—near-death experiences (NDEs)—with  John C. Hagan III, an ophthalmologist and expert on the subject. Despite being reported by as many as …

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How to build a healthier diet without overthinking

Conditions
October 18, 2024

An excerpt from Adultish: The Body Image Book for Life.

The way that different foods (for example, fats), are talked about in the public and online isn’t always scientifically correct. People can have very strong opinions about food, but this doesn’t mean that these opinions are accurate. It is important to eat foods you enjoy, but some foods are more nutrient dense than others. Eating a variety of foods is …

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Why the future of depression treatment may be magnetic [PODCAST]

Podcast
October 17, 2024
YouTube video

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We speak with Heather Luing, a psychiatrist specializing in treatment-resistant depression. As depression rates in the U.S. have tripled over the last year, we explore why traditional treatments may not work for everyone …

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From patients to clients: the tragic business of mental health care explained [PODCAST]

Podcast
October 14, 2024
YouTube video

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We sit down with Nicholas Rosenlicht, psychiatrist and author of My Brother’s Keeper: The Untold Stories Behind the Business of Mental Health―and How to Stop the Abandonment of the Mentally Ill. Nicholas unpacks …

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The dangerous shift in mental health: Are we clients or patients?

Physician
October 14, 2024

An excerpt from My Brother’s Keeper: The Untold Stories Behind the Business of Mental Health―and How to Stop the Abandonment of the Mentally Ill.

Throughout history, civilized societies have recognized the vulnerability and suffering of the ill and accordingly granted them special rights and protections, as well as a unique designation: “patient.” This is changing. In the 1990s, when I was involved in negotiating managed care contracts for a community …

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The growing discrepancy between health care promises and practice

Physician
October 13, 2024

I had a dismal start to the second year of my psychiatric residency, and my subpar performance was noted by many faculty members. One professor approached me and told me to discuss the situation with my psychotherapy supervisor, adding, “Don’t let your supervisor sugarcoat it.” The professor knew that my advisor was an extremely kind and gentle person who would prefer to leave out the details of my performance so …

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Physician wellness: stories and solutions [PODCAST]

Podcast
October 9, 2024
YouTube video

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We bring together three passionate advocates for physician wellness: Michael Foti, an internal medicine physician; Tushar Bhagat, a research assistant professor; and Kim Downey, a physical therapist. Join us as they share their …

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When words aren’t enough: the heartbreaking truth about suicide

Conditions
October 9, 2024

They died by suicide—that is the politically correct way to say it. I want to be politically correct, but I am not sure words can dampen the impact. Someone just lost a friend, a son, a partner, a child. Somehow, we believe if we say the words prettily, it takes the sting away—it doesn’t. No matter how you say it, they left the world today, or yesterday, or whatever day …

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CME Spotlights