Psychiatrists as Shakepeare's Fools

Psychiatry & Society

Yesterday was April Fool's Day. Is today April Wise Day? H. Steven Moffic, MD, discusses the figures of fools, particularly those in Shakespearean plays. For example, in King Lear, the Fool is the wisest character and points out to King Lear that he has given his power to the wrong daughters.

Society needs psychiatry more than ever, with continuing federal cuts that worsen mental health care and outcomes. Can we join together, despite differences, to defeat foolishness?

"I suggest, and I hope this sounds more wise than foolish, that all of us pay attention to what we can do for mental health in the country. Silence is condoning," shared Moffic.

Moffic shared other ways to stand up to hatred in his column from earlier. this week, "Standing Up Against Hate: Let’s Be Foolish."

Dr Moffic is an award-winning psychiatrist who specialized in the cultural and ethical aspects of psychiatry and is now in retirement and retirement as a private pro bono community psychiatrist. A prolific writer and speaker, he has done a weekday column titled “Psychiatric Views on the Daily News” and a weekly video, “Psychiatry & Society,” since the COVID-19 pandemic emerged. He was chosen to receive the 2024 Abraham Halpern Humanitarian Award from the American Association for Social Psychiatry. Previously, he received the Administrative Award in 2016 from the American Psychiatric Association, the one-time designation of being a Hero of Public Psychiatry from the Speaker of the Assembly of the APA in 2002, and the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill in 1991. He presented the third Rabbi Jeffrey B. Stiffman lecture at Congregation Shaare Emeth in St. Louis on Sunday, May 19, 2024. He is an advocate and activist for mental health issues related to climate instability, physician burnout, and xenophobia. He is now editing the final book in a 4-volume series on religions and psychiatry for Springer: Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Christianity, and now The Eastern Religions, and Spirituality. He serves on the Editorial Board of Psychiatric Times.