Death can be a difficult subject and most of us feel uncomfortable talking about it. Death, however, does not differentiate, being an inevitable outcome for all of us. Personal meanings of death can vary, though. Through the ages, for most of us, the best way to deal with it was with denial. Maybe this is the reason that most [...]
Is your decision well informed? Living kidney donations save many lives every year. It can be best described as the donation of a kidney from a healthy person, made of his or her own free will. Donating an organ gives you a sense of accomplishment, as you were able to save another person’s life. You [...]
Society’s rules and expectations of behavior by family caregivers can seem quite onerous. A caregiver is anticipated to be a selfless individual who keeps the needs of the patient above everyone else’s, including his or her own needs. He/she looks after physical, medical, emotional, psychological, financial and legal needs. He is thought to be an [...]
When nothing turns out right We all feel burnout sometimes, and the helping professions like that of physicians and psychologists are also not immune to it. Having a perfect work-life balance seems like an illusion. In 1970, American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger coined the term “burnout” to describe the consequences of severe stress and high ideals experienced [...]
Social media present both new opportunities as well as challenges for the medical profession. With the increasingly rapid adoption of new technology, the way people communicate complaints and also the way these grievances are handled has changed significantly in the last few years. Patients and families increasingly prefer to use social media to share their [...]
Inspirational and humorous There are many books and articles that deal with people living with kidney disease. Our current review is a different genre of book, a memoir of a lady who had three kidney transplants. Angela Balcita, the recipient and the author of this book, shares her inspiring story. Angela calls herself and her [...]
We, at psychonephrology.com, greatly appreciate the support that this blog has received from everyone since its inception. We are happy to announce that we are accepting guest posts. You can reach us at admin@psychonephrology.com with your post ideas. Our Audience Nephrology clinicians Mental health clinicians Patients Families Caregivers Good Topics for psychonephrology readers Psychological impacts [...]
Sympathy Vs. Empathy As a nephrologist, I have witnessed numerous patient-clinician encounters and heard even more from kidney patients during their clinic or dialysis visits. A recent conversation with one of my patients, who has a kidney disease, brought to light how she felt by the reactions and comments of her friends and relatives. [...]
Often, especially during times of stress, we feel a strong urge to feel calmer, de-clutter our minds and approach the world in a more mindful way. Mindfulness has become a popular and employed stress reduction tool and has become something of a buzzword in recent years. […]
Feeling Depressed? Listen to your inner voice Of the 7.5 billion world, a staggering 350 million people suffer from depression, which by all counts is an alarming figure. Many who are depressed may not even know it. While the impact of depression touches every aspect of someone’s life, both the individual and his or her [...]
Can terminal illness mar your passion for life? No one plans his day as if he will die tomorrow. But what if you are aware that you don’t have much time left? Will your remaining life change forever? Will you retain your zeal for life? When you are given only a year or two to [...]
Though death is an ultimate reality of life, no amount of preparation can help us overcome the void that occurs with the death of our loved ones. The eventual shape that mourning takes is colored by the emotional connection we sustained with that person. […]
Do aging couples impact each other’s physical and mental well being? Studies show that as we age in relationships, we become more biologically attuned to our partners. Sharing an environment and making cooperative lifestyle decisions can lead to a couple experiencing similar emotional and physical health effects that manifest themselves as biological similarities. These similarities [...]
If placing a bandaid on a cut is automatic, why do we neglect our psychological health? Guy Winch believes that psychological wounds are just as painful as physical injuries. See his TED talk, "Why we all need to practice emotional first aid", for insightful advice on dealing with the insecurities we all face in times of hardship.
By Linda L. Dowd RN Whenever my health issues begin to overwhelm me, I sing the lyrics from the movie "Annie" ~ "The sun will come out tomorrow..." I have always been of the mindset that even behind the darkest clouds the sun is shining. I am a believer in the validity of many sayings ~ [...]
