Does women’s mental health differ from men’s mental health? Is gender a critical variable, and does it play a role in how mental illness expresses itself? These questions form part of our conversation for this episode, where we are joined by two psychiatrists - Prof. Soraya Seedat and Prof. Solly Rataemane. Adcock Ingram
Depression is a debilitating condition, and medication can take weeks to provide relief. Suicide is a risk, and potential consequence. Psychiatry, as a discipline, has long sought a drug that might provide rapid resolution of both depressive symptoms, as well as suicidal thoughts. Could an anaesthetic agent, ketamine, be that drug? This week, Prof. Bonga Chiliza, a psychiatrist, and Dr Alan Howard, an emergency care physician, provide some answers. Adcock Ingram...
Keanu Reeves, Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg, and Richard Branson – what do they have in common? Success, fame… and dyslexia – a specific learning disorder. Learning disorders affect many people, with the specific problem often undiagnosed, and the person misunderstood, potentially marginalised. Joining us for this episode are Dr Wendy Duncan, a sub-specialist child and adolescent psychiatrist, and Natalie Solomon, a clinical psychologist. Adcock Ingram
Have you ever woken up, profoundly disturbed by a dream and wondered what it meant? Maybe nothing... but the images linger. Maybe dreams don’t mean anything, but if they occur as part of regular sleep, surely they serve a purpose as part of normal bodily functioning? To address these questions this week’s episode features Dr Alison Bentley and Prof Mark Solms. Adcock Ingram
Have you ever had a loved one or friend with a chronic condition, suffering, with no prospect of recovery – and they spoke of wanting to die... wishing for an end to their suffering? What if it were legally possible to assist them, to grant their wish? To discuss the controversial issue of 'assisted dying', we are joined by Prof. Willem Landman, Dr Chris Verster and Prof. Sean Davison. Adcock Ingram
ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a condition associated primarily with children, but is increasingly being diagnosed in adults too. The sufferer has their own challenges to face... but what about the parents, siblings, family, spouses, partners, colleagues, peers, and teachers? How do they live or cope with the sufferer? What role can parents play when a child has ADHD? Our guests this week are psychiatrist Prof Renata Schoeman, and educational psychologist Jessica Cheesman. Ad...
The loss of a loved one, friend, or even a colleague is never easy. Whether the loss is directly personal or not, it generally gives pause to reflect... for thought about that person, their life, and of course our own mortality. What if the loss was a decision taken by the person in question - to end their own life, with their own hand? Every one of these deaths leaves an estimated six or more 'suicide survivors' - people who've lost someone they care about deeply, and are left with their grief ...
What is the societal fascination for serial killers all about? Who are these people who live amongst us, undetected, going about their crimes? What does it take to track them down, identify and apprehend them? This week we speak to Dr Gérard Labuschagne - a Clinical Psychologist, Criminologist, and an Advocate of the High Court with an interest in forensic and investigative psychology. Adcock Ingram
As a parent, do you worry that your child is spending too much time on their smartphone or other electronic devices? Are you concerned that they are more connected electronically, than to you? Is this simply how it is developmentally, and are any concerns about the potential - or actual - negative impact of too much screen time just mainstream media hype and fearmongering? Child and adolescent psychiatrist, Dr Brendan Belsham, along with social media lawyer and co-founder of Klikd, Sarah Hoffman...
Why should a perfectly good parent inside a marriage be potentially less so, outside of the marriage? Custody seems to equate with ownership of the child or children… is this true? It often seems that the terms “child custody” and “dispute” go hand in hand. Forensic psychologists Anthony Townsend and Giada del Fabbro weigh in on how to navigate this challenging issue. Adcock Ingram
Pregnancy can and should be a special time - not without challenges and discomfort, but ultimately a life giving and life affirming experience where the birth of a child should add value and meaning. But what if it doesn’t? What if things go wrong for the mother emotionally? What if the pregnancy occurs in childhood or adolescence? This week our guests are Dr Carina Marsay and Dr Alexandra Maisto. Adcock Ingram
Do you ever forget where you’ve put things, or wonder what you’re doing in a certain room? And then you remember where you left what you couldn’t find, and why you went to the room you did – and smile at your own forgetfulness, and carry on. But what if you couldn’t remember? This week we speak to Specialist Psychiatrist, Dr Ryan Fuller, and Bev Cohen, who runs a support group for families of people affected by dementia. Adcock Ingram
Have you ever wondered what it must be like to earn your living covering war as an embedded correspondent or photographer? What happens psychologically to journalists and photographers who experience combat, without being combatants? We speak to neuropsychiatrist, Professor Anthony Feinstein, and UK-based filmmaker and photojournalist, James Brabazon, to find out. WARNING: Sensitive listeners might find this episode disturbing. Adcock Ingram
When one thinks of those who struggle with eating disorders, the sufferer comes to mind. But what about their family – parents, siblings, spouses... those closest to them? How are they affected, and what role is there for them in the recovery process? This week our guests are Dr Felicity Marcus and Dr D (Dorianne Weil). In proud association with Adcock Ingram OTC Sponsors of Brave. Adcock Ingram
Have you ever thought about the role your diet could play in promoting mental wellness? Is it possible to eat your way to better emotional health? On this episode, we delve into the emerging field of nutritional psychiatry with Professor Michael Berk and Tabitha Hume. In proud association with Adcock Ingram OTC Sponsors of Brave. Adcock Ingram
Psychiatry is moving towards the possibility of therapeutic usage of what would currently be deemed illicit substances. In this episode, we speak to Prof David Nutt and Prof Christer Allgulander, about the emerging research and evidence for the use of psilocybin in the treatment of depression. Adcock Ingram
How do we understand alcohol addiction and recovery? This week's guest, Dr David Webb, is a medical doctor who works as a rehabilitation counsellor - and he also shares his personal experience of alcohol abuse. Adcock Ingram
Our special guest, Dr Shaquir Salduker, joins us in conversation on the topic of the importance of substance misuse, and how it impacts on mental wellness. Adcock Ingram
Dr Allers and Dr Pillay join us to discuss the importance of understanding the significance of pain as an issue for your emotional well-being. Adcock Ingram
Dr Alan Howard and a patient join us to chat about Ketamine, and its emerging place as a treatment in psychiatry for depression. Adcock Ingram
Prof Dan Stein joins us to discuss the human condition and human suffering we all experience, drawing from his most recently published book, ‘Problems of Living: Perspectives From Philosophy, Psychiatry and Cognitive-Affective Science'. Adcock Ingram
Well-known clinical psychologist Dr D (Dorianne Weil) joins us in studio to discuss eating disorders, and the impact that such conditions have on sufferers. Adcock Ingram
In 2020, Dr Sean Baumann published a book entitled ‘Madness: Stories of Uncertainty and Hope’. In this episode, we chat about the book, and his reflections on contemporary psychiatry and patient care. Adcock Ingram
Prof Suvira Ramlall joins us to discuss how your spirituality can affect your healing process. We discuss the science of the soul, and the connection between spirituality and identity, and how this affects our mental state. Adcock Ingram
Dr Kobus Roux and Dr Leigh Janet join us to discuss the role of our genes in influencing the emergence of different mental disorders. For example, is schizophrenia caused by a single gene? Adcock Ingram
Our special guests Prof Seedat and Dr Fernandes join us to discuss the impact of the current pandemic on our mental health, and mental health resources. Has mental illness increased, or are we simply seeing understandable levels of distress to an abnormal situation? Adcock Ingram
Dr Renata Schoeman and Dr Chris Verster join Prof Szabo to discuss the issue of prescribing stimulant medication for enhancing cognitive performance. Is it ethical to prescribe such medication - used to treat sufferers of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) - exclusively for this reason, where individuals do not have ADHD? Adcock Ingram
Dr John Parker is our special guest on this episode to explain the relevance of human rights in the practice of psychiatry, which has relevance for broader society. The human right to participate in a functional democracy is a basic right, and this is discussed within the context of mental illness. Adcock Ingram
Prof. Sean Kaliski joins us to discuss the dilemmas confronting forensic psychiatrists when dealing with sexual offenders... and whether or not to ascribe their offence to disorders of their personalities, or mental illness. The consequences of this decision has profound implications for the offender - namely whether to be treated or jailed. Adcock Ingram
Prof. Solly Ratamane joins Prof. Szabo to discuss whether Western psychiatry is relevant and applicable in our diverse African context. They discuss a role for traditional healers, and the need to consider integration of traditional healing into the contemporary practice of psychiatry. Adcock Ingram
