The world we live in is truly amazing. We have the knowledge of specialists at our fingertips. But, as Peter Parker’s uncle told him in Spiderman, with great power comes great responsibility. One of my more anxious patients got seriously ill recently. She was hospitalised and they started treatment. I spoke to her physician and was satisfied that they had things in hand, so I expected her to be discharged within a few days. I was surprised to hear from her a week later. Her physician was running more and more tests, some of them invasive and painful. My patient’s…
Are you moody, bipolar or misdiagnosed?
To suffer from bipolar mood disorder is rough. It is often difficult to treat, with two mood stabilisers and an antipsychotic being needed, before even a bit of control is achieved. This hand full of pills can come with serious side effects like weight gain, sedation, hormonal imbalances and movement disorders. As if that’s not enough, as soon as you get a diagnosis of bipolar mood disorder, you get exposed to the stigma of such a label. People with serious mental illnesses have employment difficulties, get excluded from certain benefits and get labeled “mad” by loved ones. Despite all these problems, untreated…
I won an award! How cool is that?
Super pleased to have won a listing on “Top 50 Psychiatry Blogs”. I got a badge too! 🙂 It’s very motivating to keep me writing. Thank you all! And thank you Feedspot for putting me forward. https://blog.feedspot.com/psychiatry_blogs/
What the teachers in my practice have taught me
Through the years I have had a few teachers in my psychiatric practice. They have been a varied group of people, vulnerable to the same mental health issues as the rest of us. I have noticed in more vocational professions, careers to which people feel they have been “called”, that there is a higher rate of burnout. It holds true for the teachers whom I have treated. It seems like a process people with a deep calling have to go through. They give too much, then crash and burn, Part of their healing is learning how to return to teaching…
Resilience – life’s bounce back
Resilience is one of the sexiest topics in psychological research at the moment. That property which enables one to bounce back after hardship or trauma. Researchers have tried to examine why some are broken by trauma and why some do better than survive, they flourish. The prior models of “grit and determination” helped previous generations endure difficult times; think of the stiff upper lip British in WW2. It also has the dark side of people toughing out toxic situations, like an abusive marriage or work situation. Nowadays, a more transcendental model is being put forth. Resilience now not only means enduring…
Update on Lucy
Lucy has been settling nicely into her role as Joy Administrator for the practice. She is four months old and her manners are coming along beautifully. She has a passion for swimming.
Why can’t I shake this recurrent depression?
By the time patients come to me for the treatment of their depression, they have often been sick for some time. When we go into the history of the illness, it becomes clear that most have been depressed before. If you have had two episodes, more than likely, you will have a third one. If you have had three episodes, there’s a 90 percent chance you will have a 4th. It seems that a single episode of depression is more the exception than the rule. The greatest predictor of a relapse of depression is stopping antidepressant treatment. More and more evidence…
Suicide – the truth about Romeo and Juliet
Suicide Prevention Day was 10 September. Since then there have been an average of 23 reported suicides in South Africa per day. Tragically, teens are increasingly at risk, as Cape Town recently bore witness. I am happy to see that recent suicide media coverage is mostly compassionate and sensitive. The message behind Suicide Prevention Day was “a minute to save a life” – that you can save someone’s life by checking in on them. Unfortunately, suicide is also a magnet for sensationalism. Facebook and social media flare up when a suicide occurs within a community. Excessive coverage of celebrity suicides…
Happy Pills and other myths
Suffering from depression is hard. It’s possibly one of the toughest illnesses out there because it corrodes your very core, your self-esteem, your connection with others. Help is available. I tell my patients that together we will always win against depression, even if the path is rocky. I make use of many modalities to treat depression: therapy, diet, exercise, creative and spiritual outlets, and medication. Medication is a godsend in the management of depression. Yet it is the modality that carries with it the most resistance and false preconceptions. Some of the questions my patients most frequently ask are: Is it…
Newest staff member
Meet Lucy, the newest member of the practice. She will be responsible for enthusiasm, fluffiness and walking love. Lucy means Lightbringer or Fair One.