Psychiatry

It’s time for physicians to reclaim their voice and identity

Physician
July 16, 2024

Kim Downey

Wherever conversations surrounding health care occur, similar frustrations emerge, whether I’m speaking with a physician in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, or New Zealand. I’ve recently been in dialogue with Olivia Morris, co-founder and CEO of Verity Barrington and Doctors Living in Ireland. Olivia has been a global physician advocate for the past ten years. Given that role, along with being married to a doctor, Olivia has acquired …

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What would you save if your house was on fire?

Physician
July 13, 2024

The obvious answer is just that, of course. I would save my wife and myself. Everything else is replaceable—well, almost everything. Read on.

Twenty years ago, before the launch of the iPhone and before social media ruled the world, two of the most important things in any traditional American family’s house were the family Bible and the family’s pictures. I will leave the Bible and commentary on it for another question …

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Balancing diabetes and mental health: the medication challenge [PODCAST]

Podcast
July 9, 2024
YouTube video

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We sit down with Jennifer Jonsson, a patient advocate, to explore the complex world of medication interactions and their impact on mental health. Jennifer shares her personal journey of managing ADHD, bipolar disorder, …

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Transform relationships: Embrace real interactions over digital distractions

Conditions
July 8, 2024

As a health care writer and subject matter expert in public health policy for the treatment of chronic pain and opioid addiction, I spend a lot of time online reading or writing. Nearing the age of 80, I have time for such occupations. In that context, I recently ran into a quite profound quotation on Facebook:

I lived when simply waiting was a large part of ordinary life: when we waited, …

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President Biden’s debate performance: episode or condition?

Conditions
July 7, 2024

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said that it is valid for people to ask whether Joe Biden’s June 27, 2024 debate performance against Donald Trump, which was weak at best and incoherent at worst, was just “an episode” or part of a “condition.”

“I think it’s a legitimate question to say, is this an episode, or is this a condition,” Pelosi remarked less than a week after the debate.

“It was …

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Navigating life’s transitions: How I turned my struggles into support

Physician
July 3, 2024

I’ve historically struggled with graduations and transitions—it’s why I help people with transitions now, as I’ve learned how essential it is to have support during these often isolating and destabilizing times. While transitions can be full of celebrations, gratitude, and pride, there are also times when we may experience grief, regret, loneliness, and everything in between.

Sitting with my current transition, I acknowledged many reasons why I tend to skip over …

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Providing clarity in behavioral health: How patients, providers, and payers can benefit from measurement-informed care

Conditions
July 2, 2024

Mental health conditions are among the most common health concerns in the United States, with 1 in 5 adults living with a mental illness. Yet those who need care have long been faced with issues of access, understanding, and stigma. While the coronavirus pandemic gave way for some of these issues to be addressed, allowing free-flowing conversations about mental health to become more commonplace, legislation to be put …

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Scams perpetrated on authors by impersonators and bad actors

Physician
June 29, 2024

Shortly after publishing a book, I received what seemed like a promising film adaptation offer from a reputable-sounding company. Despite initial excitement, I discovered it was a sophisticated scam. This experience taught me to stay vigilant and verify unsolicited offers—not only book and movie deals but any business promise that appeals to your ego and seems like a get-rich-quick scheme.

Many accounts similar to mine have been reported on the internet. …

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When heartbreak leads to self-discovery

Physician
June 28, 2024

I think the greatest quality in humans that makes them far superior to other creatures is the ability to think and act on their own free will. But there is another ability that makes us unique: the gift of feeling emotions and the capacity to love.

Unconditional love makes you a kid. I feel as if it deprives you of your cognitive ability to judge someone. It clouds your vision to …

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Beyond burnout: Normalizing psychotherapy for burned-out physicians and nurses

Conditions
June 28, 2024

We have a big problem in this country. A recent poll found that half of U.S. physicians are still burned out. When Medscape surveyed 9,000 physicians across 29 specialties this year, they found that 49% of physicians report being burned out, and 20% report they are depressed. Physicians in front-line specialties who deliver primary care continue to be the most often affected.

A higher prevalence of female doctors (56%) report …

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Suicide risks for international medical resident trainees

Conditions
June 27, 2024

Suicide among resident physicians is a critical issue highlighted in various studies. Research indicates that depression is prevalent among resident physicians, with rates comparable to medical students, suggesting a pervasive problem across different levels of medical training. Burnout has also been linked to suicidal ideation among resident physicians, with a study reporting that 4.5 percent of American resident physicians specializing in surgery experienced suicidal ideation. Furthermore, while resident physicians may …

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From masks to medicine: How empathy shapes true medical excellence

Physician
June 26, 2024

Thirty years ago, I entered Loyola Medical School, and my initiation into the culture of medicine began. As best as I could at the time, I prepared myself for the challenges ahead. I aimed to cultivate a strong will, a powerful intellect, and what I hoped would be enough emotional maturity to succeed. I did not have any family connection to medicine, but I knew our society had certain expectations …

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The risks of digital health companies to psychiatric patients

Physician
June 26, 2024

In early 2022, during the coronavirus pandemic, I considered practicing psychiatry via telehealth. I looked into two telemental-health companies in particular—Cerebral and Done Global, Inc. (hereafter “Done”)—and turned them both down. I did not believe their ethics measured up. In the case of Done, I asked to be withdrawn from consideration as medical director because I believed the company lacked adequate infrastructure and was exclusively focused on treating patients with …

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A “rich” life looks different for everyone: lessons from my own near deathbed regrets

Physician
June 26, 2024

During my last inpatient admission one month before medical school graduation, an attending told me, “You talk about yourself like it’s one of your patients.” That’s exactly how it often felt (and still feels) to my brain. “This story is not me … not mine … I’m not sick,” my brain would offer me.

The brain does fascinating things to help us survive. Dissociating from my illness was likely supportive of …

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Unlocking the hidden link between trauma and chronic pain [PODCAST]

Podcast
June 24, 2024
YouTube video

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Join us as we delve into the often-overlooked connection between trauma and chronic pain. Our guest, Cindy Perlin, a social worker, sheds light on how unresolved trauma contributes to chronic pain and why …

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How the time-honored tradition of a baseball catch became a “test” for a brain injury

Physician
June 23, 2024

I find myself becoming more passionate with age, swept into a sea of emotions during certain movie scenes, and even crying during my favorite rock songs as the lyrics and melody crescendo and become one.

The brain’s ability to adapt and change over time, known as neuroplasticity, means that our emotional responses can evolve based on the kinds of experiences and stimuli we are exposed to over the years. It is …

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The doctor’s struggle: How prescription opioids can lead to addiction

Physician
June 22, 2024

In the heart of America, the opioid epidemic continues to surge, claiming lives and livelihoods with an unrelenting grip. While many believe that addiction stems from illicit drug use, a significant portion of opioid addictions actually begin with a prescription from a doctor. This troubling reality is exemplified by the experiences of Dr. Jeffrey Fraser, a family practice physician from Lincoln, Nebraska, who found himself ensnared in the very crisis …

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A physician’s reflection: Is it time to pass the torch?

Conditions
June 17, 2024

I was at a meeting discussing issues concerning upcoming audits by various regulatory agencies and noticed a change that made me aware of the fact that many years have come and gone since I started this journey in administrative and public psychiatry. I was the only man in leadership at this table. I was the second oldest person at this table. Surrounded by a group of younger, intelligent, and energetic …

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Naloxone: a life-saving tool that needs an upgrade [PODCAST]

Podcast
June 15, 2024
YouTube video

Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes!

Join us on this episode as we delve into the complexities of the opioid crisis with David I. Deyhimy, an addiction medicine specialist and founder of MYMATCLINIC. Together, we’ll explore the crisis’ evolution, …

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The troubling trend of violating resident physician rights

Physician
June 15, 2024

Resident physicians are vital to the health care system, delivering essential medical services while training to become fully licensed doctors. However, a troubling trend has emerged nationwide, with residency programs and hospitals frequently violating the rights and protections resident physicians are entitled to under employment contracts, state labor laws, and accreditation standards. I personally was forced to deal with these issues, despite having virtually zero knowledge regarding the legal side …

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