Rahul Mathur

Last year around this time I was posted in a ward with significantly higher morbidity and mortality rates than what I was accustomed to and could deal with. Not doing that posting was obviously not an option, unlike selecting MD where avoidance works. I tried to look for any, if at all, silver lining, and I realised that since it was a shift based posting- I could turn my brain off at 5pm to the dot. Unlike my original ward- Psychiatry- where I could get calls at any time of the day or night, this was not the case in this particular posting. I only had to carry the morbidity and mortality till 5PM. Sometimes 6. So I started painting after my shift would get over, with some nice music in the background(personally partial to Bach, maybe Brahms)- to make sure my mind wouldnt replay the events of the day shift of my life during that time. I eventually did finish some 3 canvasses during that month, but 1 was left unfinished as the posting got over, and I got busy with life. I tried to pick it up about thrice over the last 1 year, but simply couldn’t push myself to finish it. Anyway- heres the finished painting. It took me over a year of procrastination to finally complete it. And less than 6 hours in total. Going forward, I promise to understand and look kindly at the part of my patients lives where they really REALLY want to follow certain advices, want to pursue hobbies, but cannot, because of procrastination or the illness itself. For life is a better teacher than textbooks, atleast when it comes to empathy. 🙂 (Acrylics on canvas)

Went to a nearby corporate hospital for a family member’s routine checkup, I started entering a lift absentmindedly and was immediately stopped by the guard “For Doctors Only!” I almost spat out a “How Dare You! I AM A DOCTOR” before remembering I am not, in this hospital 💀

Picture this! You go to a well known private practitioner of your area (who is NOT a psychiatrist) because you are having free floating generalised 24*7 anxiety and palpitations for a while now, and after paying Rs. 1800/- for the consult, you get: 1) ZERO lab tests done (could it be a sign of vitamin deficiencies? Could it be your malfunctioning thyroid? Could it be anemia? ECG? You are a woman afterall! It could very well be all of the above!) 2)Tab. Risperidone 2mg HS 3) Tab. Amisulpride 100mg HS 4) Tab. Clonazepam 0.5mg HS 5) Tab. Sodium Valproate 500mg BD And on the day you start these medicines (all together, MIND YOU!), you feel dizzy and fall in the metro! (None of these medications were needed for this patient. And the medication and therapy that WAS needed was never started) Your own perceptions about why you should NOT go to a psychiatrist is only going to hurt you, not a psychiatrist (we have a population of 148 crores, afterall)

My MD thesis was on ADHD and social media addiction. A lot of the parents would often ask me if they can try tDCS on their kids(OUR kids to be specific ☭) to improve their attention/concentration, and I would often tell them that I dont know but would read up and get back to them. I did read up eventually, got tDCS on my OWN head, and I am happy to report that it did nothing for me. Nothing good, nothing bad. Theres a minuscule risk of seizures, and your doctor will certainly ask you relevant questions before starting you on it. I wouldnt spend my money on it. But if youre getting to try it under a project at a government/private run facility, give it a try after due diligence. And then decide wether you would want to spend on an at-home device! #MedX

Horticulture department here deserves a 10/10 🥰

You know when you randomly think if this career is "IT" for you and if you've found your Ikigai? And you know that feeling when you question if this person is truly your soulmate or just a random person in the path of finding one? Or the feeling if youve made it in life or not? Or the question if youre truly successful yet? Truthfully, you can only ever answer these questions on your deathbed, on the day of your death, if your partner was truly your soulmate and the love of your life, if that work was truly your IKIGAI, if you were truly successful, if you made your parents proud, and if you lived a life worth living! 🤍 . As Søren Kierkegaard said, "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards." . Live it first. Answer the questions later :)

I had been taking care of a little girl in her early 20s for the last 5 weeks, admitted to the ward with unstable vitals, no food, barely any water since a month, sitting in the same place, same position for 8-9 hours a day, peeing and pooping wherever she was, not bathing, not sleeping, barely any meat left on her bones, empty eyes devoid of any pain, happiness, sadness... Sent her off today-walking, smiling, with goals for the future and a belly full of food. My heart feels happy, proud, and a little empty, all at once :') How can we cut off our personal lives from professional lives when we spend more months with the patients than with family, how can we give up attachment if it comes at the cost of us losing our empathy :') #MedX

"And because you're a dream, I sleep a lot." - Darwish

Now that we know what kind of parenting one has received, let's dive into the 4 major types given by Diana Baumrind ;) 1)Authoritative Parenting- balance of demands and responsiveness. Parents set clear rules and expectations but are also warm, nurturing, and open to communication. They explain the reasons behind rules and consequences and encourage independence within limits. Children raised with authoritative parenting tend to be confident, responsible, and emotionally well regulated. 2)Authoritarian Parenting- high demands but low responsiveness. They enforce strict rules with little explanation, often using punishment to ensure obedience. They expect children to follow rules without question, and this style may lead to compliant but anxious children with lower self-reliance. Kids may associate obedience with love and may struggle with a strong sense of failure when they cannot meet rigid expectations. 3)Permissive Parenting- Permissive parents are highly responsive but have low demands. They are indulgent, often acting more as a friend than a parent, and set few rules or limits. This can result in children who may struggle with self-control, responsibility, and may exhibit behavioral problems. 4)Uninvolved (Neglectful) Parenting-show low responsiveness and low demands. They meet basic needs but are emotionally detached and provide little guidance, supervision, or support. This style can adversely affect a child’s social and psychological development and may lead to low self-esteem, low confidence, and feelings of being unloved or unimportant. #MedX