Category: Doctor’s Thoughts

Chemical coping is another name for addiction. It describes a cycle: feel distress, take a chemical, feel better. The specific chemical might be fentanyl, alcohol,

When patients have been in recovery for a while, there often comes a moment when they want to put it all behind them. “Doc,” patients

We like to believe that we choose our norms—that we live our lives based on principles, values, and reasoned decisions. While this is true to

“How did you go bankrupt?”“Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.” Hemingway was talking about money, but he could’ve been describing almost anything that falls apart—our health,

As we age and reflect on our younger selves, the amount we change is difficult to ignore. Think back to what you were absolutely sure

“Stress” is one of the most frequent reasons I hear when people try to describe what ails them, and what limits taking care of ourselves.

When it comes to taking care of our health, my job is often less about delivering new information and more about helping people problem-solve, reframe

I recently had a conversation with a patient about how hard recovery is– facing challenges, embracing honesty– there’s a whole suite of difficulties involved. And

Turn a world map upside down, and the almost automatic sense of understanding that we have about the globe feels less intuitive. We have to

I recently started seeing a new patient for addiction. This man has been through an incredible amount in his life, and substance abuse has been