Emily Deans, MD, is a psychiatrist in private practice, and was a clinical instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School for 17 years. She is interested in the impact of nutrition on mood and the intersection of immunology and psychiatry.
As a retired academic psychiatrist with 40 years in the field behind me, I found this discussion very helpful. Dr. Deans comes across as a pragmatic realist who understands the significant limitations of psychiatric treatments without disparaging them or apologizing for them. She describes herself as "stoic", and--as someone who has written extensively about the Stoics of ancient Greece and Rome--I think there is much to commend in that attitude. The Stoics always advocated focusing on the things we can control, and not obsessing about those matters outside of our control. Dr. Deans' philosophy of education and treatment seems to resonate with that point of view. We have much to offer our patients, but we can't promise them the moon, or oversell our treatments. At the same time, we mustn't acquiesce to the many trolls and bullies who want to see psychiatry banished from the realm of medicine. As the Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius famously put it, "I do my duty. Nothing else troubles me."
Regards to Dr. Deans and Dr. Aftab for a very stimulating exchange!
Thank you Dr. Pies! You have co-written articles and op-eds on assisted suicide with my co-teacher at Harvard and the Brigham for those 17 or 18 years, Dr. John Peteet. Appreciate the Marcus Aurelius quote...words to live by, especially online.
Many thanks for your note, Dr. Deans. It was a great privilege to co-author the article with Dr. Peteet, and I am sure you and I have both benefited from his mentoring.
For interested readers, the op-ed is available at this link:
As a retired academic psychiatrist with 40 years in the field behind me, I found this discussion very helpful. Dr. Deans comes across as a pragmatic realist who understands the significant limitations of psychiatric treatments without disparaging them or apologizing for them. She describes herself as "stoic", and--as someone who has written extensively about the Stoics of ancient Greece and Rome--I think there is much to commend in that attitude. The Stoics always advocated focusing on the things we can control, and not obsessing about those matters outside of our control. Dr. Deans' philosophy of education and treatment seems to resonate with that point of view. We have much to offer our patients, but we can't promise them the moon, or oversell our treatments. At the same time, we mustn't acquiesce to the many trolls and bullies who want to see psychiatry banished from the realm of medicine. As the Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius famously put it, "I do my duty. Nothing else troubles me."
Regards to Dr. Deans and Dr. Aftab for a very stimulating exchange!
Ronald W. Pies, MD
Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry
Tufts USM and SUNY Upstate Medical University
Author, Everything Has Two Handles
Thank you Dr. Pies! You have co-written articles and op-eds on assisted suicide with my co-teacher at Harvard and the Brigham for those 17 or 18 years, Dr. John Peteet. Appreciate the Marcus Aurelius quote...words to live by, especially online.
Many thanks for your note, Dr. Deans. It was a great privilege to co-author the article with Dr. Peteet, and I am sure you and I have both benefited from his mentoring.
For interested readers, the op-ed is available at this link:
https://www.telegram.com/story/opinion/columns/2023/01/29/dr-john-peteet-and-dr-ronald-pies-oppose-physician-assisted-death/69831539007/
Best regards,
Ron