He looked more like the romantic hero from the era of Lord Byron than a psychiatric patient – he wore his hair longer than today’s style and he obviously pumped iron. Indeed, I found out that working out was an important part of his life.
He was 28, and he had just been released from a two day stay at hospital and his medication was standard fare — Zoloft (sertraline) antidepressant.
I had no clue why he had to be seen by me on an emergency basis. It turned out he had been admitted to the hospital because he was uncomfortable about his roommate’s anger. He had been concerned he might get “attacked.” I had no way of telling whether the roommate had an actual history of this sort of behavior or if this was delusional. But the roommate was not the patient before me. “Just give me klonopin,” Lord Byron said. “Everybody else does.” Read more on Fixing The Problem Is Much Better Than Taking Addictive Drugs…
Filed under Addictions, Substance Abuse by on Oct 8th, 2010. 1 Comment. 
I have been working with criminals longer than I care to admit. I suppose it is a condition of my accepting temporary consultation assignments, going where the need is greatest. A lot of work in prisons. Some with people later, during the parole process. Sometimes they are contrite — more often not.
I am still waiting to meet the smart criminal. The Moriarty to some law-enforcement-colleague Sherlock. The high IQ planner, the applied psychologist, the brilliant criminal.
Maybe they are so brilliant that they never get caught. Or – if crime truly does not pay – maybe they are the ones who go to those so-called “Country Club Prisons” after they have become wealthy from stock market schemes. They might get “classier” psychiatrists, males with receding hairlines and goatees who wear neckties. I know they don’t get better ones. Read more on Santa Claus, Tooth Fairy And Smart Criminals — All Myths…
Filed under Personality Disorders by on Sep 16th, 2010. 3 Comments.
I guess the death of Anna Nicole Smith has become old news. All I found in the daily newspaper was a short item saying that the trial was going on in Los Angeles.
After more than one internet search, the only mention I found of what is going on online is this one, in what seems to be a Seattle tabloid.
I strongly suspect that this is a road that has been travelled more than I know. After all, I am not exactly a celebrity watcher. Nevertheless, from what we already know about folks like Michael Jackson, and from what Dr. Nathalie Maullin seems to have said under oath, I think we have a pretty good idea of what it is like to be a drug-seeking celebrity.
First, I think it worth noting that Dr. Maullin was on staff at Cedars-Sinai at the time. Now putting aside the PR of the latter (it is allegedly the best in L.A.; they have ads and some top notch publicity firm–) Cedars Sinai is a hospital. I can testify that to be on staff at any clinic or hospital, they do a background check. Read more on Anna Nicole’s Doctors Couldn’t Have Made Worse Decisions If They Tried…
Filed under Addictions, medicine, prescription drugs by on Aug 19th, 2010. Comment.