#009 Mental Health In Medicine, Humanity, & Stoicism

10/24/20 • 48 min

In this episode, we begin by exploring the topic of mental health and how it has been impacting residents within the hospital. As we begin to unpack the article we begin to highlight how the pandemic is shining a light on the system of productivity that has been perfected over the last 10 decades within medicine. What the pandemic has done is placed a spotlight on the cracks, the kinks in the chain, and the areas that are most vulnerable within this production system, exposed them, and forced the entire systems at large to falter. Those that are the most responsible for the care, oversight, and management of people in our communities and the patients that may become, are the same professionals that are now at more risk than ever to suffer from isolation, stress, pressure, mental health, and the physical manifestations. We end the episode by highlighting what we can do, at the N of 1, leveraging the foundations of stoicism to help us become aware of the things we can change, the things we cannot, and the difference between the two situations. Remember, we make change, beginning with ourselves, at the N of 1. Articles explored: https://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2020/10/the-impact-of-covid-19-on-resident-burnout-and-how-we-can-combat-it.html ; https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidplans/2020/10/12/workplace-mental-health-where-to-from-here/#55fb7c335259 ; https://medium.com/@writing.ejp/why-stoicism-is-so-darn-popular-right-now-728b6868dd3f

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#008 President Trump, Racism In Medicine, & Choosing Medicine

In this episode, we get into several heavy topics: President Trump being diagnosed with COVID-19, racism in medicine, and the need for physicians to help us transition from healthcare back to medicine.

We need to understand that the pandemic we live in today is a matter of choice. Our choice to acknowledge, to do our part, and to ensure the safety of ourselves, our family, the people in our community, and the patients that they may become in life. This is serious. It is a matter of life and death.

We need to address that racism does exist in medicine. From patients being disrespectful to physicians, or from administrative staff and colleagues. It is real. It does exist. We need to discuss it openly. We need to ensure that our leaders are prepared to address it in real-time, to say it is unacceptable, and to have the tools and support system for our colleagues to continue to allow them to practice their art in a safe environment.

Our last topic is that there is a difference between medicine and healthcare. It is real. It is something we all experience. We need to choose which we want, and make that choice at the N of 1.

Next Episode

010: Inception, Tapping Into Our Dreams & Is Someone Alway Watching?

Have you ever seen the Christopher Nolan movie Inception? If not, you will want to make sure you watch it this weekend. It is a movie in which a team of dream hackers has the ability to plant an idea into one's mind, while they are dreaming. The idea takes hold, grows, and becomes the person's own conscious dream and therefore their reality. This very idea is something that has been explored by MIT researchers. They have created technology that can assess when one falls asleep and enters a state of hypnagogia, plant an idea with an app on one's phone, and help to bolster creativity. (article:MIT controlling your dreams ) We then want to ensure we highlight some really good techniques to remember to protect one's online identity and safety in a virtual digital-led world.