You’re stuck in a mental bind. Today, a mighty simple idea is here to release you. This entry is for anyone who has or who deals with neurological or mental challenges. That is, everyone. It is definitely for folks with ADD or similar problems. It’s also for people who have the symptoms of... Read more →

In this entry of my brain damage series, I’ll provide a clinical example to convey how the cultural dynamics of stigma can play out in clinicians’ behavior. Once upon a time, I acted as an advocate for a woman I’ll call Cindy, who was suffering from depression and cognitive difficulties... Read more →

People with ADD get a day, but brain damage gets the month of March. March seems like a good month for brain damage awareness. However long the winter feels, March is when spring starts to enter our minds. The first warmer breezes are not far off (if you’re in the northern hemisphere and you’re... Read more →

I am maintaining a list of the top ten “secrets” in the mental health field. Here is Part II, items five up to the big number one (items six to ten are can be found in Part I): 1. Cognitive problems Cognitive disabilities can have a tremendous effect on people who appear to be fairly high... Read more →

Psychosocial consequences in children living with epilepsy are significant. Frequent hospitalization, the unpredictability of seizures, and side effects from treatment can lead to increased stress for the child and the entire family. They can lead to child’s negative evaluation of self and can... Read more →

Earlier this week, I attended the annual general meeting at the Canadian Mental Health Association (Vancouver - Burnaby branch). As always, people who have used the CMHA’s services over the years stood up and told their stories. What remained most with me was one person mentioning that at a certain... Read more →

In my work as a physician, one thing that has always bothered me is the patient with “neuropathic pain”. Here is the typical scenario: A patient with a history of chronic pain (usually back pain) and pain medication use comes to the hospital for surgery. Post operatively, the patient’s... Read more →

In recent decades, societal conceptions of mental health and mental illness have evolved significantly. Compared to prevailing attitudes of the early 1900’s, the general public and scientific community alike have become much more aware and knowledgeable of mental illness: its causes, severity,... Read more →

Every year in the United States, approximately 44 million people are diagnosed with a mental disorder. Of those diagnosed, roughly 19 million suffer from depression and 4 million others suffer from some form of generalized anxiety disorder. Unfortunately, not everyone with a mental disorder seeks treatment.... Read more →

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is characterized by a pattern of unstable relationships, a self-image that is always changing, and poor impulse control. The person suffering from BPD fears abandonment and will go to any lengths to prevent this, including threats of suicide. Self-harm is a characteristic. There... Read more →

There are about six million severely mentally ill people in the United States. About half of these severely mentally ill do not know they are ill. (1) (Severe mental illness includes schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and a few other diagnoses). There is a medical term for this condition: anosognosia, an... Read more →