On Call

Ketamine

Ketamine: A Good Antidepressant, but Not During Pregnancy

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on September 23, 2024

These steps need to be taken for pre-menopausal women before beginning treatment with ketamine.

These steps need to be taken for pre-menopausal women before beginning treatment with ketamine.

Fantasies

Writing Psychologically-Realistic Characters in Fiction

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on May 16, 2024

Can psychiatrist-novelists write more psychologically-realistic characters?

Can psychiatrist-novelists write more psychologically-realistic characters?

Grief

Grief: What Is Normal and What Is Prolonged Grief Disorder

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on January 4, 2024

Loss and grief are unavoidable experiences. Nature usually leads us on a path to healing but sometimes the process is derailed, with devastating results.

Loss and grief are unavoidable experiences. Nature usually leads us on a path to healing but sometimes the process is derailed, with devastating results.

Psychiatry

Psychiatrists in Fiction: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on June 13, 2023

Who are the most evil, bad, and compassionate psychiatrists in popular novels?

Who are the most evil, bad, and compassionate psychiatrists in popular novels?

Career

Why Nurses Strike

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on January 9, 2023

Why do nurses strike when it is in conflict with their self-identity and their professional values to serve the sick?

Why do nurses strike when it is in conflict with their self-identity and their professional values to serve the sick?

Anger

How to Help Your Child When Local or World News Is Grim

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on May 5, 2022

Children need your help when local or world news is grim. They may feel distressed about the impact of violence on others, and worry that similar events could happen to them.

Children need your help when local or world news is grim. They may feel distressed about the impact of violence on others, and worry that similar events could happen to them.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar Disorder: How to Get Correctly Diagnosed

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on May 26, 2021

It is often not easy to get a correct diagnosis when you have bipolar disease, but here are ways you can help your doctor.

It is often not easy to get a correct diagnosis when you have bipolar disease, but here are ways you can help your doctor.

Resilience

Increase Coping and Resilience by Writing a Song

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on February 18, 2021

Learning how to write a song is a great tool to increase self-awareness and coping ability.

Learning how to write a song is a great tool to increase self-awareness and coping ability.

Health

Stress Relief: A Toolkit

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on September 16, 2020

Need some tools to help cope with stress?

Need some tools to help cope with stress?

Transgender

Advice from the Parent of a Transgender Person Who's Enjoying the Journey

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on June 17, 2020

Are you the parent of a transgender person?

Are you the parent of a transgender person?

Anxiety

How To Cope With Coronavirus Anxiety and Stress

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on March 31, 2020

Looking for effective ways to alleviate coronavirus fear and anxiety?

Looking for effective ways to alleviate coronavirus fear and anxiety?

Personality

Author Robin Cook Writes Psychology into Suspense

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on December 18, 2019

For the readers who enjoy medical thrillers, Robin Cook is the Master Novelist. Here, he tells us why and how psychology is crucial in his books.

For the readers who enjoy medical thrillers, Robin Cook is the Master Novelist. Here, he tells us why and how psychology is crucial in his books.

Trauma

How to Triumph Over Trauma

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on September 11, 2019

How to thrive despite trauma? A Holocaust survivor tells us.

How to thrive despite trauma? A Holocaust survivor tells us.

Miscarriage

Miscarriage: Reducing Shame and Silence

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on July 30, 2019

Reducing the silence about miscarriage will help reduce the personal shame about it.

Reducing the silence about miscarriage will help reduce the personal shame about it.

Anxiety

Infertility: Reducing the Anxiety That Accompanies It

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on July 18, 2019

Looking for ways to deal with the anxiety that comes with infertility?

Looking for ways to deal with the anxiety that comes with infertility?

Depression

Post-Partum Depression: What It Is and How It Is Treated

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on March 27, 2019

There's a new treatment option with more rapid results for this too-common condition.

There's a new treatment option with more rapid results for this too-common condition.

Anxiety

How to Reduce Anxiety in Our Nervous World

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on February 12, 2019

Have you considered how the nervousness of the world we live in is contributing to your own stress, and how you might protect yourself from it?

Have you considered how the nervousness of the world we live in is contributing to your own stress, and how you might protect yourself from it?

Miscarriage

Miscarriage: Memoirs and Novels that Tell It Like It Is

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on November 16, 2018

Miscarriage carries with it social stigma and personal shame. Which memoirs and novels can help reduce this?

Miscarriage carries with it social stigma and personal shame. Which memoirs and novels can help reduce this?

Depression

Risk for Depression During and After Pregnancy

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on September 7, 2018

Are you at risk for depression during pregnancy or the postpartum year? Here are the risk factors, and the prevention and treatments that work best.

Are you at risk for depression during pregnancy or the postpartum year? Here are the risk factors, and the prevention and treatments that work best.

Postpartum Depression

Post-Partum Depression and Post-Partum Psychosis

Monica N. Starkman M.D. on May 8, 2018

Here's a psychiatrist's view of what's normal after childbirth—and what's not.

Here's a psychiatrist's view of what's normal after childbirth—and what's not.