Reflections on Medicine & Life
3 min read…“San Diego has to be the worst place to attend a medical conference,” I thought several years ago as I walked into another big, brightly-lit but gray, windowless room in another big, gray convention center. Outside it was
8 min read…The most common concern expressed about medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with either Suboxone® (aka buprenorphine) or methadone is, “Aren’t we just replacing one addiction with another?” Patients, families, other clinicians, and various stakeholders interested in reversing the opioid epidemic,
3 min read…It is impossible to avoid reflecting on my life with Uzma as I work on the book proposal for Left Boob Gone Rogue: My Life With Breast Cancer. Many years ago, my first and only proposal — not a
2 min read…Because of my addictions specialty, acquaintances often ask my opinion on vaping. Over the years, my take on vaping was straightforward: If you have never smoked cigarettes or vaped, don’t begin. Neither is good for your health. If
7 min read…Throughout my clinical career, I have had multiple conversations with patients, family members, and other clinicians about the role of Suboxone® (aka buprenorphine) in treating opioid addiction. The most common objection to the recommendation has to be, “Aren’t
3 min read…I spend much of my time at work figuring out how to improve access to evidence-based treatment for individuals with addiction, especially opioid addiction. I attend conferences focused on opioid addiction. Over the past several years, it has become
5 min read…Some years ago, I saw an advertisement for “NoCry” cut-resistant gloves. The picture in the ad showed two hands wearing the gloves and a large kitchen knife being pulled across one palm (see bottom of page). At that
5 min read…If you were my patient and you were grieving, I would comfort you. Most of the time, I would know the words to say and the ones to skip. I would help you think about loss, grief, and
8 min read…Running Into Worry While standing in the ordering line of a locally famous ice cream shop, I ran into an acquaintance. She pulls me aside and whispers, “I have bad news.” Her face has lost all color. My
8 min read…A Psychologist Kills Himself It was September 9, 2019, the second day of National Suicide Prevention Week in National Suicide Prevention Month. A man jumped off a 17-story building in Philadelphia. Police ruled his death a suicide. At