– MINDS Newsletter Team
Volume 16 (2026)
Madness as Devotion: Psychiatric Reflections on Laila Majnu
Love and madness have been closely linked in literature, folklore, and cinema for centuries. In many South Asian narratives, the “mad lover” is viewed not as ill, but as deeply devoted and spiritually pure. Laila Majnu, directed by Sajid Ali, revisits the classic tale of Layla and Majnun in a modern setting. The film follows […]
First Experience in Psychiatry
My psychiatry posting was a very enriching and eye-opening experience. Before this posting, I had a limited understanding of mental health disorders and often underestimated the importance of psychiatry as a clinical branch. During this rotation, I learned that psychiatry is not only about treating illnesses but also about understanding human behaviour, emotions, and social […]
When Words Matter Most: Breaking Bad News with Empathy
Few moments in medicine are as emotionally challenging as telling a patient that life may never be the same again. Whether informing someone about a diagnosis of schizophrenia, cancer, dementia, or a poor prognosis, breaking bad news is a task that demands not only clinical knowledge but also compassion, patience, and communication skills. Bad news […]
Stress and Its Components
“When will it get better, Doctor?” your patient asks. And somewhere inside you, a quieter voice asks the very same thing. Before we reach for the textbook, sit with that for a moment. Because stress is not something we will only encounter in our patients, many of us are already living it. Hans Selye defined […]
A Glimpse of the Newspaper
As I was travelling a long distance to medical college, I would strive hard to keep myself engaged throughout the journey because I am among those who can’t doze off during travel! Occasionally, reading the newspaper & every word in it was a time killer strategy, more so because more than a decade ago, smartphones had […]
Ars Longa, Vita Brevis
No other profession demands longer learning than the medical profession. Even after years of undergraduate education, postgraduate training, and all the countless exams, medical training is still incomplete. If one is to keep the edge, they always need to be revising old knowledge and updating themselves with recent advances. In many ways, education continues long […]
The Amazing Teaching Skill of the Student !!
The class began for final-year medical students; as previously notified to them, I called the student who was assigned a five-minute presentation on the topic. As the student initiated the session and concluded enthusiastically, I was stunned by the student’s ability to conceptualise the topic, the presenting skills & grasp the section of the presentation. […]
Verbal, Non-Verbal, and Written Communication Skills: A Psychiatric Perspective
Communication is not merely the transmission of information but an observable expression of internal mental states, shaped by affect, cognition, and interpersonal dynamics. For undergraduate students, developing communication skills is fundamental not only for academic functioning but also for cultivating insight into self and others, an essential component of Psychiatry. Verbal communication encompasses spoken language […]
Empathy: The Most Powerful “Prescription” in Psychiatry
A patient enters the OPD quietly. They avoid eye contact, sit at the edge of the chair, and answer every question with a hesitant “yes” or “no.” As postgraduate residents, many of us initially focus on symptom checklists and diagnostic criteria. “Sleep?” “Appetite?” “Suicidal thoughts?” The interview moves on. The checklist is completed. But the […]