Cool for the Summer

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

Summertime: It should be a season of rest and relaxation, but as you well know, health care never sleeps. That’s why in this issue of Psychiatric Times™, we tackle the most important issues in psychiatry so that you can stay informed and best support your patients.

One of the hot button topics right now is psychopathy and school shootings—are we quick to judge? The Uvalde shooter was deemed a “psychopath” within days, but is the argument that all shooters are psychopaths circular and unhelpful? How does that conversation impact psychiatry, mental health, and your patients? Ronald W. Pies, MD, shares his thoughts on the definition of psychopathy and the demonization of the “Other.”

Another relevant challenge is physician burnout. The current culture in medicine may seem antithetical to a healthy work mind-set, and that’s why in part 1 of this 2-part Special Report, H. Steven Moffic, MD, leads the conversation on what you can do to sustain your mental wellness. Peter Grinspoon, MD, addresses physician substance use and misuse as burnout rates rise in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Aparna Iyer, MD, shares insights on the reality of achieving work-life balance and how it must be encouraged as early in one’s career as possible. We hope that these articles will help encourage your own wellness journey so that you can best serve your patients. And, if you have tips to share with your colleagues, let us know. Your story may be featured in a future issue!

This month, our continuing medical education explores historical and current diagnostic approaches toward patients who present in mixed affective states. While more research is needed to better understand the root of mixed states pathology, Andrew Troy Hodge, MD, and Suporn Sukpraprut-Braaten, PhD, share strategies to best assess these patients.

From cover to cover, this issue of Psychiatric Times™ strives to prepare you for the latest discussions in psychiatry to stay cool, collected, curious, and cognizant this summer. ❒

Mike Hennessy Jr

President and CEO, MJH Life Sciences®