“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 […]
When Scrolling Starts Scaring: Social Media and Health Anxiety
What begins as a harmless scroll can quietly turn into something much heavier. A few minutes on social media after work or before bed can quickly shift from light entertainment to exposure to a stream of alarming health content. Videos about silent symptoms, posts describing missed diagnoses, and warnings about everyday habits are woven into […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
Trivia Time
MINDS Editorial Team
The High of Yellow
This evocative piece pays homage to the legacy of Vincent van Gogh, the Dutch Post-Impressionist whose dramatic brushwork and vibrant palette laid the foundation for modern art. While his documented journey with Bipolar Disorder profoundly shaped his perspective, his ability to translate intense emotional depth into timeless visuals remains a beacon of inspiration. Dr Rajeev […]
Archiving of the Documents Related to Psychiatry and Psychiatry Education in India
The history of Psychiatry is rich in the Indian Subcontinent. Numerous records point out the fact that Psychiatry held an important position in the medical system practised in India. A rich trail of documents exists charting out the development of psychiatry and psychiatry education in India. But are those documents being preserved for posterity? With […]