Why do People ?

The most appropriate answer to that question is probably the reply given by President Clinton when asked why he did what he did with “that woman.” “Because I could,” he replied to a probing reporter. I started posting almost 4 years ago because I could, and never really expected that many people would take interest in what I write. I really just needed a place to vent and explore and express my ideas from time to time. Other than my work, I have shown more commitment to this journal than any other project I’ve undertaken. My writing style is intentionally original and at times incorporates controversial ideas which on occasion may evoke emotional response from a commenter. I know my perspective on life is unique, mainly because of who I am and what I do for a living. When I feel passionately about something I will fight with everything I have to win the cause. Most people I associate with either love me or misunderstand me or may be in transition. Read more

Risk of Violence in the Workplace

Every now and then The HEADoc finds himself in an undesirable inescapable situation. . . Read more

Tags:

Psychotherapy 101

Sigmund Freud was named the Father of Psychoanalysis. . .

He coined a term known as transference and its counterpart. This principle of thought and behavior is common to the psycho dynamics of basic human relationships and encounters and can be either a positive or a negative phenomenon. Transference and counter-transference have both diagnostic and therapeutic significance in certain forms of psychotherapy. Read more

More Adventures of the HEADoc

My cat has lost her mind . . .

and I have no training in feline psychology. She’s 3 years old now. What’s that in human years, 16? Erroneously I thought I could keep her locked indoors and avoid having her fixed. Not! As a kitten she once ventured outside and got lost for a couple of hours. A neighbor returned her and for the next couple of years she didn’t try that again. The first time she went into heat I had no idea what the heck was happening. She also had worms at the time, so I thought her behavioral changes had something to do with that. The injection at the vet cleared up the worms and he told me not to worry about the estrace cycle. Having her spayed could take care of the problem. I procrastinated. No, I just didn’t do it. Read more

Cut and Run?

This has been one of the weirdest weeks in my life. . .

as far as the thoughts and feelings I have experienced. The predominant feeling has probably been fear and I know that if there were no fear at this time I would truly be out of my mind. The thought has dawned upon me that it isn’t too late to cut and run. I could just tell every patient that I prescribe a pain medication to that I can’t treat them anymore. I would still maintain over 80% of my practice. I could walk in to my hearing on August 20th and state to my accusers that the problem is solved, goodbye, hope I never see you again. No hard feelings, right? That could be the beginning of the end of my nightmare. I could then try and slip back into anonymity, even though there would still be many who would see me as that bad doctor from the smear attack who did all of those terrible things that time. At least my livelihood would be protected. Read more

More Antipsychotic Drugs Get Stronger Warning Labels

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today that some “conventional” antipsychotic prescription drugs must now carry a black box warning label just like the one that has come on newer antipsychotic drug labels since an FDA order in 2005. The black box message is that the drugs increase the risk of death for elderly patients suffering from dementia. Read more

Ten Percent of Adolescent Girls Admit to Either Binge Eating or Purging

According to the June 9, 2008 issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, one in ten teenage girls either binge eats or purges at least once a week. The incidence of purging was highest among younger adolescent girls. Binge eating among boys was 3%, and boys were less likely to engage in purging. Alison E. Field, ScD, associate professor of pediatrics, in the division of adolescent medicine at Children’s Hospital, Boston, in Massachusetts said, “I would believe that 10% [of girls] would at least experiment with these behaviors, but once a week is quite severe.” The authors also found that girls who diet frequently and are concerned about their weight are at greater risk for developing eating disorders. Girls, younger than 14, were three times as likely to binge or purge if their mother had a history of an eating disorder. Read more

Parents’ Mental Disorders Linked to Child’s Autism

Researchers at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (UNC), have just released their findings on the association between a parent’s history of mental disorders when the parent also has an autistic child.  It seems parents of autistic children are hospitalized for issues of mental distress at double the rate of parents without autistic children. Read more