One of the reasons that public health messages struggle to get through is that they are presented as very black and white, a bit like in George Orwell’s Animal Farm -“four legs good – two legs bad”. Yet with virtually all matters of health it is not that simple....
Recently in the media it was announced that there is now a new mental health disorder called ODD being used in the diagnosis of children. This so called disorder equates to Oppositional Defiant Disorder. The condition could be identified where a child has a repetitive...
As the year draws to a close it is interesting how three of the key themes that I have written about this year have all raised their heads. And those are 1) The medicalization of life 2) Over diagnosis from screening tests 3) Pharmaceutical companies misbehaving...
It is interesting how events coincide. Some say there is no such thing as coincidence. Last week a review of mental health services in WA was handed down. In the same week a Royal Commission was called into Pedophilia in Australia. And we are not alone. Until...
I have a confession to make. I like watching The Jerry Springer show. Not every week but whenever I feel like a laugh or to see how “the other half lives”. It may come as a surprise to many but as a doctor, the tales I hear are less dissimilar to reality TV than you...
We hear much about the war on drugs.There is a much bigger problem that has not attracted much attention or interest.That is the deaths,overdoses and addictions due to legal pain killers. An inquest is pending in the coroners court about a death related to the...
