Carlat on mindless psychiatrists

My fellow psychiatrist and blogger Dr. Daniel Carlat has an article in this weekend’s New York Times Magazine.  ”Mind Over Meds” is a memoir of Dr. Carlat’s growing realization that psychiatry can’t be done well in 15-20 minute medication visits, that talking to patients as people is important too.

I’m generally a fan of Dr. Carlat. [...]

Healthcare reform & psychiatry

The recent debates over U.S. healthcare reform are long overdue, yet still sadly inadequate.  (The discussion is about health insurance, actually, not the care itself.  But I titled this post “healthcare reform” since that is what everyone is calling it.)  There is no need to rehash the plentiful evidence that the current system is broken: [...]

Psychiatric disability and service animals

This post has taken a while to percolate, and has turned into two posts.  As often happens, what got me thinking was an article in the New York Times, this time on the expanding definition and use of service animals by the disabled.  Service animals now go far beyond Seeing Eye dogs.  The article introduces [...]

Psychology and torture

Stanley Fish has an interesting opinion piece in today’s New York Times.  In September the American Psychological Association (APA) reversed its position and now bans its members from participating in some military interrogations and all torture, a stance taken earlier by the American Medical Association and the American Psychiatric Association.  (The psychiatrists’ group is also [...]

Healthy political competition

In watching the concession and acceptance speeches last night, I was struck by the apparently sincere willingness of both Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama to “reach across the aisle” and work together after their bitter campaign fight.  To me, this feels much like a hard-fought sports competition, where in the heat of battle each side [...]

Are bad times good for psychiatrists?

Life seems stressful these days. With the current economic crisis and impending national election, there is a sense of instability in the air. Many Americans have seen their retirement investments dwindle, many others cannot find car or home loans. Most of us wonder what the future will hold.

Acquaintances occasionally ask me if [...]