How I learned to let go of perfectionism: a lesson from my mother’s suicide

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[Bradley and Daroff's Neurology in Clinical Practice]( - the definitive reference in clinical neurology. Shop all newly published medical books at [Elsevier Health](. --------------------------------------------------------------- KevinMD Plus: Nov 11, 2021 [How I learned to let go of perfectionism: a lesson from my mother’s suicide]( My mother died 18 years ago today. It has probably taken me that long to be able to talk about it because, as survivors of suicide, our culture teaches us to live in shame. However, as I grow older, I have learned to let go of that shame. If you mention your experience with suicide [...] [Listening to patients with our eyes]( In medical school, we are taught to listen to our patients, and if we listen hard enough, they will tell us their diagnosis. The statistic that gets thrown around is that the average amount of time a physician listens before interrupting a patient is 18 seconds. Many of us learn to use motivational interviewing skills [...] [My biggest blind spot is me]( I tend to size people up pretty quickly. Adult ADHD? I can diagnose it in about two minutes. Borderline personality disorder? About one minute. Bad actors on the Dr. Phil show? About 30 seconds (with the benefit of Dr. Phil’s preamble). I can’t help it. I attribute my habit of analyzing people to my training [...] [Getting messy in the game of health care [PODCAST]]( “Many patients, doctors, nurses, and health care administrators appear to have a seat on the blimp with little concept of how the game has evolved over the years and is being played now. They may have attended the game in the past, but they likely haven’t seen the action from 5,000 feet above the field—and [...] [Is misinformation deadlier than the virus?]( Lurking in the shadows, it creeps in. Spreading itself across the world. Creeping into all recesses of human civilization, like a slug oozing slime as it moves slowly and surely. A microscopic, spikey ball of evil engineered for killing. Attacking its prey without warning. Attaching itself, drawing lifeblood for its existence. A parasite of sorts, [...] [Don’t let the holidays sabotage your weight loss goals]( The holiday season is rapidly approaching, and it is not uncommon for us to gain up to 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and Valentine’s Day. But what if we do not want to put on some insulation? What can we do? I specialize in medical weight loss, and my first recommendation would simply be to be [...] [We’re not OK, but we know you are]( The day just felt weird. I had this feeling of impending doom over me that morning as I sat in bed studying, waiting to get dressed for afternoon clinic. Once I got there, I was cramping, and I knew things were not OK. It was so intense throughout that afternoon that I would bend over [...] [A physician’s tribute to nurses [PODCAST]]( “At the hospital, the nurse is the one who is at the patient’s bedside around the clock. When the patient has to go to the bathroom or needs help to sit up in a chair, he or she calls the nurse. The nurse is the one who is changing the diapers for the elderly; she [...] [A patient caught in the middle of a communication crisis]( A 65-year-old female presents to the emergency department (ED) with contusion from a fall at work. She has no loss of consciousness. Two other employees at her workplace, the cardiac floor of the same hospital as the ED, witnessed the fall. The patient has a previous medical history of fatigue, GI issues, and appetite loss [...] [To Aaron Rodgers, from a physician and Packers fan]( I’m a doctor passionate about public health and public policy born and raised in Wisconsin and educated at the Medical College of Wisconsin (the same institute that bestowed Mr. Rodgers an honorary degree in 2018). I’m also a Packers shareholder, as is my father, a practicing physician in the state. I cheered you on for [...] [But my children are not vaccinated]( Go to the store, support small businesses … But my children are not vaccinated. Go out to eat; buy local … But my children are not vaccinated. Go back to work; go travel… But my children are not vaccinated. Come celebrate, please enjoy … But my children are not vaccinated. Kids need people; they need [...] [How this physician built a direct specialty care practice [PODCAST]]( “I am here to testify that it is possible, and I am not alone in this specialist direct care market. There are other specialists’ practices like mine, hidden gems for patient care. During my journey, I learned specialists are thriving to remove the “middlemen” and reconnect with patients. Patients are eager to shop for their --------------------------------------------------------------- [Thousands of physicians are browsing this job board](. They love its selection of over 12,000 openings across the U.S. [Physicians are finding opportunities they almost missed](. --------------------------------------------------------------- If a friend sent you this email and you want to subscribe, go to [KevinMD](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 345 Hudson Street New York NY 10014 USA [Unsubscribe]( | [Change Subscriber Options](