PARALDEHYDE
When I began my training in Psychiatry Paraldehyde was occasionally still used, particularly in the ‘Forensic ward’. You could smell it on opening the locked door to the Forensic ward. … Continue reading PARALDEHYDE
Category: Narrative medicine
Celebrating 25 years
The current edition of INSIGHT, the magazine of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, celebrates 25 years since the College opened its doors in Scotland. This anniversary spans the same period … Continue reading Celebrating 25 years
Today’s Sunday newspapers
There has been a lot of discussion this week about appropriate choice of language. My blog has often argued the importance of how we use language. Our choice of words … Continue reading Today’s Sunday newspapers
Kindness, attention and respect
Many years ago, one of my patients who had lost a child to suicide, wrote to me to say: Some years later I read this: I have previously shared considerations … Continue reading Kindness, attention and respect
An explanation
Shortly after this new text book was published I purchased it and read it over a long weekend in May. I took notes and added marginalia as I read [here … Continue reading An explanation
Barriers still exist
The following article featured in yesterday’s Perthshire Courier: Recently I compiled the following post on the ‘Edinburgh Seven’ and it occurred to me that the ‘prescribed harm community’ has faced … Continue reading Barriers still exist
‘such an ivory-tower bunch’
But there is another way to learning, as Patrick Geddes has shown: … Continue reading ‘such an ivory-tower bunch’
‘They say no’
The words in this piece on antidepressant prescribing come from the novel ‘Grace Notes’ by Bernard MacLaverty. This novel was published the same year that I was started on an … Continue reading ‘They say no’
Admitted to a Mental Hospital: Gordon Bennett
Russell T. Davies and Ian McEwan are just two of many writers who like to imagine how the world might have “unfolded” had there been slight changes to past events. … Continue reading Admitted to a Mental Hospital: Gordon Bennett
“Excessive claims by drug firms”
You may read this title and wonder who said it? If you have come across my blog before it would be reasonable to consider that it was said by me! … Continue reading “Excessive claims by drug firms”
Thesis 1389
Thesis 1389, and that of Dr Iain Smith give an account of Girgenti following the death of Captain John Cheape:
What hell and terror
I consider this U-turn as nothing but welcome. I have written to the President, Vice-President and CEO of the Royal College of Psychiatrists to say so. What hell/terror it has … Continue reading What hell and terror