Dr. Smith giving his talk to a room full of COM students
Selma Holden, MD, MPH concludes her presentation on integrative medicine as Dr. Kazilionis addresses the audience
does it depend on the circumstances? According to Dr. Smith, a pathological diagnosis is determined if the behavior interferes with the life of his patients. Psychiatry is very subjective. In treating patients, it is important to look at the impact the behavior is having on their lives, instead of relying on a quantitative number that recommended by the latest textbook.
The subjectivity is demonstrated by the very history of psychological diseases. In 1785, the act of masturbation was thought to cause certain diseases, and even bring about death. In order to help your patients, try to understand the underpinnings of why the patient is eliciting a behavior. While a sense of humor is necessary, it is never okay to laugh at a patient. Part of psychiatry is hiding your emotions and creating a habit of thinking around how you manage your own laughter.
DR. SMITH ON SEX ADDICTION AND NYMPHOMANIA
Ryan Smith, DO ‘10 had an incredible turnout for his lecture, “Nymphomania, Sex Addiction, Polyembolokoilamania and Impulse Control.” The curious minds of first- and second-year medical students were peaked to learn more about what it means to treat patients with sex addition and other impulse control disorders. Sponsored by the student-run, Neurology-Psychiatry Club, Dr. Smith opened the lecture by emphasizing the importance of humor. “Medicine will eat you alive if you don’t have a sense of humor.”
Dr. Smith has spent many years at his rural psychiatry practice in Eastport, ME, and has treated a number of patients with sex addiction. The lecture questioned the very meaning of abnormal and asked the question, What dose of sex is pathological? Can science honestly quantify it for everyone or
HISTORY OF INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE
Selma Holden, MD, MPH, MS gave a presentation on "The Evolution of Integrative Medicine: How history influenced our definition of Integrative Medicine and its future steps." The varied history of integrative medicine was covered from Ötzi, to Galenus, Chinese medicine, psychedelic trials of the 1950's, to today. Osteopathic medicine has roots in integrative medicine, since the oldest form of healing was touch. Illness was believed to be the relationship of how your spirit was doing within your body. Although there have been breakthroughs in medicine, especially how illness and health are perceived, Dr. Holden cautions us to not dismiss integrative medicine so easily. Absence of evidence does not equal evidence of ineffectiveness. There is no money for pharmaceutical companies in funding herbal research. However, there are more expanded models at present and there continues to be more research of the benefits of integrative medicine.
COM faculty, John Kazilionis, DO and Gregory Stevens, DO joined in the lively and controversial discussion of prescribing cannabis to patients with chronic pain in the state of Maine. Dr. Kazilionis pointed out that, “Anything that helps people without harming them is a good thing.” Dr. Stevens stressed the importance of adopting a shared-decision making model with patients and being open to alternative treatments: “Engage patients to be their best healers.”
Dr. Holden is a faculty member in the COM Department of Primary Care. She is a Family Medicine physician with extensive training and experience in integrative medicine that includes working with opioid-dependent mothers during her residency at Maine Dartmouth Family Medicine Program, and conducted research on the impact of yoga practices on the health of expecting mothers.