The world has gone cannabis crazy. It is in the news all the time. Should it be legalised? Is medicinal cannabis beneficial? Is cannabis dangerous? Patients come to me every day asking if they should try cannabis oils for various ailments. For many of the conditions, like chronic pain or insomnia, they have tried several medications and have been disappointed with the results or struggled with side effects. It is not a wonder that they want to try something “natural” since modern medicine has disappointed them so. Anecdotal evidence and various oil providers will tell you that cannabinoid oils are hugely beneficial for…
Post Natal Depression (PND) Just how am I supposed to feel after having a baby?
Having a baby is such a joyous, happy time. I am not referring to unwanted pregnancies or extreme situations such as abuse, war or poverty. I am speaking of a child that is very much wanted, within a stable and supportive relationship. Most of the moms in my practice with PND are slightly older. (PND can happen at any age, to any socioeconomic group. In this blog, I am reflecting specifically on the patients in my practice.) They chose to study or establish a career before starting a family. They might have suffered from depression or anxiety in the past; they may…
Help! My boss is a narcissist!
There are many arrogant, grandiose bosses. When I look at the CEO superstars, it seems as if success in many Western corporations requires some level of self-aggrandisement and ruthless ambition. That does not mean that every jerk boss is a narcissist. Narcissistic personality disorder is a diagnosable entity. Its salient features are a sense of deep entitlement and rage when this entitlement is not met. A narcissistic boss who believes that you are not on their side will make your life a living hell. But it usually does not start at this point. The gift that dealing with personality disorders gives us…
Help! My girlfriend has Borderline Personality Disorder
It’s so easy to fall in love with someone suffering from Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). The early stages of the relationship are so passionate and intense. Initially, she adores you and idealises you completely. She is much more vulnerable and creative than the other girls you know. (Men can also have BPD, although it does occur slightly more commonly in women. I could just as easily have entitled this blog: “Help! My boyfriend has BPD”). Very soon though, you are the source of all her pain and suffering. You are everything that is wrong in the world. You are not entirely sure…
Personality disorders (Pd’s) and why we need to know about them
We have all been in situations with people who are toxic. Sometimes it gets out of hand and can cause deep psychological distress or can even be dangerous. The critical and belittling spouse (obsessive- compulsive pd), the girlfriend who manipulates with suicide attempts (borderline pd), the boss whose own advancement is at your cost (narcissistic pd). These kinds of situations are repeatedly set up by the same ten percent of the population. The ten percent who suffer from personality disorders. People with severe personality disorders seem incapable of maintaining honest, mature relationships and seem hell bent on self-serving justifications. Considering the…
Obsessional love- when sacred becomes profane
I am sure that most of us can remember a time when we dipped our toes into the murky waters of love obsession. We would practically stalk the object of our love, hanging around their haunts, in the hope of “bumping” into them. Maybe it was more extreme. Maybe we lost sleep waiting for “that” phone call. It was highly intoxicating and anxiety inducing. Hopefully, age has given us the wisdom and experience of love which is easy and nurtures growth and self-esteem. Through the years I have had a few patients in my practice suffering from the throes of…
Boundaries with social media
Social media, and how to relate to it, is still a relatively new phenomenon. We are still trying to figure it out. But it is influencing mental health. Several studies have shown a clear correlation between depression and excessive social media use. I have a young woman in my practice who has very intense friendships with two other women. While relationships of this nature are common for the age group, what adds a complicating dimension is WhatsApp. These young women are in contact all the time; they live in each other’s pockets. In the past, a bit of distance could be naturally…
Boundaries. The guardians of joy.
Patients often ask me if my work sometimes gets too much. If hearing about the miseries of mankind becomes a tiresome task. Most of the time I can honestly say no, I love my job. A major reason why I can love my job is that of good training. From the moment you enter a psychiatric residency the teaching and learning of boundaries is a priority. So in the room, in your hour, I try to be 100% present with you. But I am very aware that it is your life and your journey. When I am with another…
Diets do not work
You have had a look at yourself in the mirror and realised that you don’t like what you see. Your doctor has told you that you must lose weight. You have researched Atkins, Detox diet, Banting, Intermittent Fasting and a few others. You are ready to start your diet. Again. You probably feel that you don’t need to have your resolve weakened by reading a blog espousing that diets don’t work. Worse, a major risk factor for being 5kg heavier in a years time, is to be on a calorie restricting diet now. Dieting results in weight gain. Diets don’t work. A…
Let’s talk about the value of ideal weight
Ideal weight is such a sensitive issue. In my practice, almost every woman and many of the men are unhappy with their weight. I often wonder what it would be like if every person in the world woke up one day, happy with how they looked. I think a lot of diet and beauty industries would go bankrupt! What is “ideal weight”? Surprisingly, this concept is not that easy to define. First off, there seems to be a paradox in patients’ awareness. Next, doctors can not seem to agree as to what it is and how best to measure it.…