Burnout manifests in various ways: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of efficacy. Emotional exhaustion—the feeling of being drained of emotional resources—is the most significant predictor of burnout.
The sudden news of kidney disease can come as a shock for some, making it difficult to process the information. There may be instances when you want to know more but seem lost in the whole web of advice and multiple clinicians who are now involved. We wanted to provide you a checklist of questions [...]
Diagnosis of any chronic illness like kidney disease can be a very turbulent time for any patient. The information and diagnosis may feel overwhelming and the patient might feel at a loss in connecting with his family, friends and even healthcare team. What is it like to live with a chronic kidney disease, how does [...]
Janet Wright with Dr. Gavril Hercz As a nephrologist and psychotherapist, I believe it is important to shed more light on the emotional impact of chronic illness, like polycystic kidney disease (PKD), on patients and families. Last year, during the “In Conversation Series”, we shared the 2018 Toronto PKD scientific conference video, in which Ms. [...]
As we approach the year-end, Team Psychonephrology would like to thank you all for your continuous support and encouragement throughout our journey together. We would like to recap some of the topics that received the widest viewership. At the beginning of this year, we started a new blog series, “in conversation series”, where the patients [...]
Taking your cue from non-verbal communication Last week, during my visit to the dialysis unit, I came across a nurse who was displeased with a patient. On further conversation, she explained that she was disturbed by the manner expressed his dislike of her. This patient always wears T-shirts with strange quotes indirectly aimed at her. [...]
Loneliness does not mean that you don’t have any relationships at all. It indicates that even when you are surrounded by multiple relationships, there is no single intimate connection that you can identify.
Here are some of the posts that put a focus on Mental Health.
As they say, when you get lemons in life, make lemonade out of it. Instead of fixating on the things that aren't going well in your life, remind yourself of everything you're thankful for.
At age 63 I am still not on dialysis and am privileged with a good quality of life – I work part-time, take 2 personal interest courses, enjoy hobbies, eat most food, and do a mild activity. So, what’s my problem? I think, “Well, I don’t have a problem”, especially considering how young others in [...]
Below, Drs Gavril Hercz & Andreas Pierratos, nephrologists at Humber River Hospital, explain more about innovative models of care: “Needing to be on dialysis is about more than kidneys not working; it’s about a human being, with a worried family, trying to cope with a devastating loss. […]
Some people may be born with better resilience but we can always train our brains to build and sustain mental resilience. In this post, let’s learn a few steps on how to build mental resilience. […]
How to Sleep Better A sound sleep does wonders for your mental and physical health. Not sleeping well takes a serious toll on your health and drains your energy. Getting a perfect sleep can prove a struggle for many. […]
The only constant is change. With ever-changing technology, this cannot be truer. Checking your devices multiple times has become second nature for most of us. As the internet is evolving, so is our dependence on it. Some may even term it an addiction. The internet, which was introduced as a way to make our lives [...]
Thinking about aging often brings to mind physical transformations: the weakening of bones and muscles, the slow fade of energy, the aches, and the pains. But as our bodies change with age, so do our minds. It’s true that many elders experience some level of memory loss, a series of mental changes known collectively as [...]
