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Note from the Editor: It is my pleasure to present the final Psych Star blog of the Psych Star Series, a collection of articles written by the 2023-2024 cohort of Psych Stars on their visions for the future of mental health research and care, each of whom chose an area in which they are especially passionate. After you read today's article, be sure to check out the previous blogs written this year by the 2023-2024 Psych Stars! Dr Declan Hyland, Lead Clinician for the scheme,

On a busy road, when the traffic rushes like water breaking through a dam and the lights refuse to turn red, the decision you may make to run across when there is a small break between cars, is a conscious one. Our ability to make informed decisions is what allows us to take responsibility for our actions. Every choice we make, every action we take is a result of neuronal pathways firing in a particular sequence in various areas of the brain. An area called the pre-frontal

It is ADHD Awareness Month, and I often find myself reflecting on my own diagnosis of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and the challenges and strengths it's brought to my life. However, what I have frequently found is ADHD is often discussed in terms of its impairments. Struggling to concentrate. Forgetfulness. Emotional dysregulation, and a predisposition to depression. Problems with sleep. Difficulties meeting potential at school, work and beyond. The l

Trigger warning: This article discusses suicide. Some readers may find this distressing. Massive increases in referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) over the last few years have led health professionals, including myself as a doctor, to question why. Child mental health is important to me as I have personally seen peers experience mental health problems at school, and I believe this is such a crucial time to offer support and interventions. Looking a

In my second year of medical school, I had the opportunity to choose my student-selected component of the course. There were several interesting options, ranging from short language courses to exploring case studies in medical law. However, one option stood out: ‘Cultural psychiatry.’ As a woman of colour, I'd always been fascinated with how culture shapes our understanding of mental health. In my Nigerian community, for instance, mental illness is often shrouded in stigma,

Psychiatry has been a highlight of my medical school experience. Every psychiatrist I’ve met, every talk and lecture I’ve attended, and every topic I have studied, nothing has grabbed my attention more than psychiatry. So, when the opportunity presented itself to meet MORE psychiatrists, attend MORE talks and conferences, and gain MORE experience, it was a no-brainer that I had to apply to the Psych Star Scheme. I therefore applied to and was accepted into the scheme, specif

Perusing the Royal College of Psychiatrists website, I stumbled upon the faculty page for 'Rehabilitation and Social Psychiatry'. I had never heard of this subspecialty before but quickly became excited when I realised it sounded right up my alley. As a medical student with a background in anthropology and psychology, I have a particular interest in the broader social, economic, political, and cultural factors that influence mental well-being. 'Rehabilitation and Social Psych

Special Note from the Editors: Welcome to our brand-new series written by the 2023 Psych Stars! Chosen by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, Psych Stars are medical students awarded a place in the scheme for their interest and commitment to psychiatry. To celebrate their work and success, we have invited several Psych Stars to write fortnightly articles on their visions for the future of mental health research and care, each choosing an area in which they are especially pass

My interest in mental health grew considerably when I started medical school. I remember being spellbound by a lecture in the first term of my first year on the interface between public health and child mental health, and wondering whether this might be something I’d like to do as a career. Quickly realising that psychiatry comprised such a small part of our curriculum, I began dedicating my evenings to attending extracurricular talks run by my medical school’s Psychiatry Soc

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

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

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

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

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

Psychiatry, like many other specialties within medicine, has a range of sub-specialties from which one can choose during higher training, which lead to further development of expertise in a certain area of psychiatry and a particular subset of patients. Neuropsychiatry is one of those sub-specialties. Simply defined, neuropsychiatry is the practice of managing mental illness in the context of an organic, neurological cause or associated lesion — depression in Parkinson’s dise

Source: Iz zy on Unsplash Content Warning  — This blog deals with the topic of suicide and may be distressing to some readers. If any of the topics raised resonate with you or someone you know, at the end of this blog I have signposted charities and helplines that can provide a listening ear. About me Male mental health has always been at the forefront of my mind growing up with a brother with Asperger’s. I noticed how he really struggled his whole life with getting the right

Special note from the editors: This is the fifth blog of our new series, The future of mental health as seen by the future leaders in mental health, written by the 2020 ‘Psych Stars.’ Selected by The Royal College of Psychiatrists, Psych Star ambassadors are a group of final year medical students awarded for their particular interest and commitment to psychiatry. During the year-long scheme as Psych Stars, students are nurtured in their interest in psychiatry through the assi

Special note from the editors: This is the fourth blog of our new series, The future of mental health as seen by the future leaders in mental health, written by the 2020 ‘Psych Stars.’ Selected by The Royal College of Psychiatrists, Psych Star ambassadors are a group of final year medical students awarded for their particular interest and commitment to psychiatry. During the year-long scheme as Psych Stars, students are nurtured in their interest in psychiatry through the ass

Special note from the editors: This is the third blog of our new series, The future of mental health as seen by the future leaders in mental health, written by the 2020 ‘Psych Stars.’ Selected by The Royal College of Psychiatrists, Psych Star ambassadors are a group of final year medical students awarded for their particular interest and commitment to psychiatry. During the year-long scheme as Psych Stars, students are nurtured in their interest in psychiatry through the assi

Special note from the editors: This is the second blog of our new series, The future of mental health as seen by the future leaders in mental health, written by the 2020 ‘Psych Stars.’ Selected by The Royal College of Psychiatrists, Psych Star ambassadors are a group of final year medical students awarded for their particular interest and commitment to psychiatry. During the year-long scheme as Psych Stars, students are nurtured in their interest in psychiatry through the ass

A Need for Compassion when Encouraging Young People to Engage in Mental Health Special note from the editors: Please enjoy reading the first blog of our brand-new series, The future of mental health as seen by the future leaders in mental health, written by the 2020 ‘Psych Stars.’ Selected by The Royal College of Psychiatrists, Psych Star ambassadors are a group of final year medical students awarded for their particular interest and commitment to psychiatry. During the year