Psychiatrists Are Needed More Than Ever

This video series is taking a short break while Dr Moffic travels. For now, enjoy the rerun of this video with updated commentary.

Last year, this video was posted right after our presidential election. Concern was evoked for how that might increase mental disturbances, and it has. Social psychopathologies like anti-Semitism and sexism have been rising, and various mental disorders as well. At the same time, resources have been decreasing. Psychiatrists generally are not engaging in public political discussion due to the Goldwater Rule, but our ethical priority to try to improve mental health in our communities may need to take priority over a strict interpretation of the Goldwater Rule. What do you think?

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.