New York: Therapy City

11.13.2012

Finally, the patients get flowers

No matter how sane you tell yourself you are, when the door closes behind you as a visitor on the psychiatric ward, you feel a shudder. These are sterile, hard-edged environments. Nice to see this art project by Anna Schuleit at the closing Massachusetts Mental Health Center, one of the old school hospitals. Schuleit covered the facility in fresh flowers because flowers were off-limits when it was a functioning facility. 28,000 plants for 28,000 estimated patients for the 91 years of operation.

10.18.2012

Don't try this at home

This is an amusing way to deal with the perfect storm of 100% Internet and ADHD: hire someone to slap you if you start wandering off task. The serious message may be the aspect of subtle social pressures to maintain focus. I spend most of my day (when I'm not seeing patients) alone in front of my computer. I have to use intrinsic rather than extrinsic motivators.

12.22.2011

The Iron Rule-out of Mental Health Symptoms: "It's never the marijuana"

It's been a while since I heard it, but a patient today uttered the immortal phrase "It's not the marijuana" because (like Dr. House's Lupus): "It's never the marijuana." Trouble sleeping? Maybe it's the coffee, or the late night TV, or the wife, or the light, or the diet, or the depression. It can be any of a dozen things. What about the 2 joints a day? Oh? Sorry, it can never be the marijuana: "I'll change anything else, but I won't change that. It's not the marijuana." Right.