September 9th 2025
What do you do when a patient, who is also a physician, disagrees? A psychiatrist navigates complex mental health challenges, rejecting a bipolar diagnosis while advocating for patient autonomy and addressing stigma in health care.
Sharing Patient Cases: Balancing Confidentiality and Educational Needs
August 29th 2018Providing detailed descriptions of interactions that occurred between patient and therapist moved our field forward by both honing our technique and considering more effective ways to help our patients. But is the sharing of cases ethical?
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Got a challenging case-a patient for whom the diagnosis is unclear or uncertain? Want a diagnostic opinion? This is a call for cases. Michael First, MD-a nationally recognized expert on psychiatric diagnosis and assessment issues-will review details and offer insights on select cases.
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Opioid Use Disorder: Update on Diagnosis and Treatment
April 30th 2015While opioid dependence is among the most severe and lethal of addictions, it also has the most effective medication treatments. The authors provide 2 case vignettes and a step-by-step process for clinical decision making.
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A Brief Review of Gambling Disorder and Five Related Case Vignettes
April 30th 2015The loss of control over urges and behaviors may be the central component of gambling disorders, but there is so much more to consider. Individuals with these problems have exponentially higher rates of suicide attempts and completions.
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Consultation/Liaison Psychiatry in Geriatrics: Overcoming Challenges and Finding Solutions
October 30th 2014This article summarizes 5 cases from consultation services at several teaching hospitals. These challenging cases illustrate several points for the consultation/liaison psychiatrist to consider in caring for elderly hospitalized patients.
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