When it comes to men’s mental health, fatherhood is a topic that often doesn’t get the attention it deserves. This study highlights the importance of supporting men’s mental health not just after their child is born, but even before conception. By fostering positive wellbeing and addressing mental health challenges early, we can help new fathers navigate the emotional demands of fatherhood and create healthier outcomes for families as a whole.

The holiday season is often a time of joy and connection, but it can also bring tension and conflict, especially in diverse or polarized communities. Holidays, steeped in tradition and cultural meaning, can amplify disagreements over identity, values, and inclusion. Recent research offers an intriguing psychological strategy: paradoxical thinking interventions. Maybe we can use these same interventions at home while navigating this often tricky season!

First, I’d like to apologize for the delay in posting my monthly blog. I needed a bit of a break to recharge and be at my best, so I took a little holiday to New Zealand. It was my first time visiting, and I truly enjoyed myself. One particularly poignant experience during the trip was visiting the site of Seacliff Lunatic Asylum, later known as Seacliff Mental Hospital. Located near Dunedin, it was the largest building in New Zealand when it was constructed in 1878. The architecture was stunning, yet the history of the place was both fascinating and deeply troubling.

I’ve always been a sucker for marketing. Growing up, I loved watching ads on TV, especially the ones for toys. I’d beg my parents for the latest gadget or game, but more often than not, I didn’t get them. I do remember one time I got a Digimon toy—I cherished it until I lost it and cried all night. My parents were so fed up they refused to buy me anything like it again. So, why is marketing such a big deal, especially when it comes to healthcare? Marketing works. As patients, we deserve care rooted in science, not in sales strategies. As doctors, we owe our patients nothing less.

This fantastic article by Catherine Belling was published recently in The Lancet, and I believe it’s a powerful piece that dives deep into the complexities of modern medicine.“ Science cannot always provide doctors and patients with the consistent and certain truths conventionally expected of it.” Like the oracle, modern medicine, fortunately or unfortunately, can still be cryptic.

One of my closest friends, who shares both my city and medical school journey, has recently achieved a significant milestone by securing a position in the urology training pathway in Australia. To celebrate her accomplishments, I felt it was timely to explore the important intersection between urology and psychiatry.

So, let’s get real. Steroid use is common. Up to 4% of boys in secondary schools use it. It is pretty normalized, fuelled by the Australian image of washboard abs, beach bodies, and now the increased prevalence of the “gym fit.” In the gay and bisexual male community, 6-10% use steroids. On dating apps, that’s roughly 1 out of every 10 potential matches! No wonder body dysmorphic disorder is on the rise! The unfortunate truth is that steroid use results in a poor quality of life. It is, however, a reality of our culture and society. It is often ignored or played down even by those interested in men’s mental health.

For each appointment at PSYXIA, a patient in Solomon Islands received free psychiatric care as part of collaboration with DAISI!

Those in the know, know. Unfortunately, due to a combination of factors, illnesses, particularly neuropsychiatric ones, tend to cluster together. This is especially true for autism, intellectual disability, and psychosis. This article by Bakken et al. discusses this phenomenon, how it comes about, and how we can better identify these patterns so that our most vulnerable receive timely and effective treatment.

So, what is a personality disorder? Everyone has a personality, which is shaped by a variety of genetic factors and life experiences. In a way, a personality is how we see ourselves and how we interact with the world around us. It is essential to have a thorough discussion with your psychiatrist, combining patient and carer interviews and various scales, to ensure the diagnosis and treatment are correct.

From first-hand experience, academic pressure is an issue close to my heart. I often see kids, during what is meant to be a time of growth and exploration, instead becoming swamped with the academic and socio-academic pressures of school. As humans become increasingly cerebrally competitive, and companies are looking to maximize cerebral productivity from each employee, it is no wonder that kids today are struggling.

Who doesn’t like cats. Well, plenty of people I suppose. And there are plenty of people who dislike dogs. I personally don’t mind either, but prefer cats. I think they’re very interesting and fascinating to watch and learn from. They ‘re also cute and fluffy, which is a bonus. So, when an article like this comes along, it is bound to stir the pot a bit! Particularly when news articles say things like “cats linked to schizophrenia development”. Importantly, the truth is far more complex than catchphrases.

I don’t really like vomit. Neither do most people, obviously. So when someone has an illness that involves vomiting, I am especially sympathetic, almost to the point of sympathetic nausea! Unfortunately, despite a well established connection between mind and gut, vomiting associated syndromes are not too heavily researched or published. This article by Makani and Parikh published in 2017, therefore, remains relatively important and is a great, succinct summary on what we know and how to help.

It is inevitable that, with overworked and underpaid doctors in Australia, more will require psychiatric care. In the ACT, this is not surprising. Awareness of specific issues, and maintaining value driven, standardised and compassionate care is especially important in these situations.

I often still refer to this article when trying to treat and support patients. I think it has a lot of merit to be helpful for anyone in being able to support others, even if they aren’t a formal therapist. It also has these beautiful narrative examples which encapsulate the therapy journey.

I highly encourage those who are impacted by, or have friends or relatives impacted by trauma, to give this audio book a listen. It has helped me understand and empathise with my patients a great deal and I have no doubt it would help others too.

The Olympics of pharmacology. Which ones are the best and worst at certain things like subtypes of symptoms and side-effects. The take home being that some medications are a bit better than others (though in a more gradual sense), whereas we know that there is more of a difference in certain side-effects of certain anti-psychotics in Schizophrenia.

In people who have this illness, sometimes medication needs to be taken for a long time. But how long is long? This fantastic article by Dr Severe and colleagues hopes to help answer this.