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*A Neurodivergent lens Due to Covid-19 there maybe even more pressure to enjoy the festive season this year and the social expectations...

If you could go back in time, what do you wish you had learnt to increase your confidence in navigating your mental health? Being in my...

The festive period is a time of high spirits and gift-giving, or at least as much of that as is possible in the midst of a global...

The festive period is a time of high spirits and gift-giving, or at least as much of that as is possible in the midst of a global...

I am working as a psychiatrist in a large hospital in Stockholm, Sweden. I will never forget the night between 11th and 12th of April...

In September I wrote a blog about my optimistic take on the coronavirus research at that time. In late summer the UK and most of Europe...

Eating disorders thrive in times of crisis. They pounce on any disruption to everyday life and turn your recovery on its head, and I know...

Insight from the #5BigInsights “Parenthood isn’t a prerequisite to understand the importance of the early years” — HRH THE DUCHESS OF...

For years, many people have advocated that the majority of office work can be done from the comfort of one’s own home. If you are going...

Before we start to really dive in, I have a bit of a confession to make: I think I’m a perfectionist. Ok, well maybe it wasn’t the...

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a common but serious mental illness that causes symptoms affecting emotions, thoughts, and daily...

When Sir David Attenborough joined Instagram in September, his account gained over 1 million followers in less than 5 hours and broke a...

Reflections from the President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists on the latest series of PsychStar blogs I was glad to be invited to write this blog to conclude this fantastic series of work from our PsychStar participants. I’ve read the blogs with interest, and have found the topics thought-provoking and forward-thinking. I’ve worked as a psychiatrist for many years, and I specialise in Forensic psychiatry. I became the President of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in

As we adjust to a second lockdown, one musical voice keeps playing in my head: that of Rumi, the thirteenth-century Persian poet and Sufi. Like Anna Maria Di Brina, who wrote movingly in an earlier Inspire the Mind blog about how she derives solace from reading (as well as writing) poetry, I too am drawn to verse right now. Rumi’s poem ‘This Being Human is a Guesthouse’ in particular is working its magic. The poem casts the individual as a dwelling, allowing each chapter of l

I opened my phone a couple of days ago to a headline reading, “A Black doctor died in childbirth, highlighting a tragic trend that...

One of the perks of getting older is the constant sense of déjà vu when listening to political debates. So, here we go again,...

I am not a clinician, but I have come to acknowledge the 3 C’s of the clinic: communication between the patient and physician,...

My experiences working as a support worker for adults with intellectual disability, before starting medical school and alongside my studies, has given me valuable insight into the lives and experiences of the people that I supported. In this role, I gained an appreciation of some of the challenges faced by people with intellectual disability, including the impact of stigma and healthcare inequalities. I also was able to appreciate the vital role that specialist community team

During childhood and adolescence, parents play a crucial role in their child’s development, acting as their first teachers and preparing...

Mental health stigma and discrimination is slowly decreasing, as shown in the report ‘Time to Change’ in 2015. Given the current effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated social distancing/quarantining, the incidence of mental health problems is anticipated to rise. As a final year medical student on a placement in GP at the moment, I have witnessed first-hand the mental distress induced by the pandemic. Many people fear of contracting the virus while others have had th

Telling people to ‘speak up’ and ‘be kind’ on social media isn’t going to change the fact that mental health services are failing the working class Original tweet — @hattiegladwell on Twitter Mental health is becoming a more popular topic on social media, and that’s great for three reasons: It educates people who don’t have a personal understanding of mental illness, it encourages those who do to talk about it more openly, and it comforts those suffering, letting them know th

Disclaimer: This blog is by no means an endorsement, nor is it advocating illegal activities. It is purely a discussion about the growing interest in psychiatric research on the potential of psychedelics in novel treatment approaches in mental health. It should be noted that the use of recreational drugs such as psychedelics is, under law, a criminal activity. Psychedelics should only be used within the legal framework of one's county and under the supervision of a clinician

Think of the last time you had a cold sore, or the flu, or a bowel infection…I am sure you don’t have the fondest memories of that...

A lot has been changed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the last 6 months. For those of us familiar with the inside of clinic rooms, one of the starkest changes may be the sudden reliance upon providing health care electronically. As a medical student, I spend a lot of time shadowing doctors in the clinic, and since returning to medical school for Year 5, my peers and I have increasingly noticed that consultations are taking place over the phone or on a video call. Over the past 5