Tire Allostatic Load

Author(s):

Frank A. Clark, MD

Your patient tells you to get some rest, but they don’t know why you’re tired. What do you tell them?

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POETRY

One of my patients recently said to me, “Doc, you need some rest.”

Basically, my patient was right; however, she did not know the reasons why I was feeling tired. This would be my response to her.

Weary of the next nail that penetrates thy enervated soul

and air leaking concluding breath of compassion reserve on an

inequitable health highway

Boom!

Inimical souls

and loathe for humanity

deflates my tires

Dr Clark is clinical assistant professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine-Greenville and medical director & division chief for Adult Inpatient and Consult-Liaison Services for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine at Prisma Health-Upstate. He currently serves on the APA Task Force to Address Structural Racism Throughout Psychiatry as well as the Diversity & Inclusion Section Editor and Advisory Board member for Psychiatric Times^TM.