Episodes
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“They really are the most widely used guidelines in the world.”
Much has changed over the past eight years. In 2016, singer Olivia Rodrigo was just starting high school; quarterback Tom Brady seemed ageless; none of us were talking about pandemics. Recently the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) released its first major depression update in eight years. How has depression management changed, and what does it mean for you and your practice? Join Dr. David Gratzer as he speaks to Dr. Raymond Lam, the co-first author and the executive chair of CANMAT and find out.
In this episode you will learn:
when to recommend exercise (and how to discuss it with your patients)about the role of pharamacogenetic testinghow to think about neuromodulationand the reason for the format update to these guidelines.THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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“It's visible. It's in our streetcars and buses, our subways our streets, and it's hard to ignore.”
Homelessness seems to be more prevalent now than ever before. But why? And is there a solution? Joining Dr. David Gratzer to explore the challenges and changes in the chronically homeless population over the years is Dr. Vicky Stergiopoulos, a former Physician-in-Chief of CAMH and an internationally recognized expert on chronic homelessness.
During their conversation we learn about:
The importance of providers who understand the realities of homelessness.The evolving substance use patterns among the homeless population.The details on the longest randomized control trial on homelessness ever performed.And just how close Finland is to ending homelessness in the coming years.THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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Episodes manquant?
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Textbooks, highlighters, and classrooms? The world of medical education is changing. Today, we have AI, sim, and e-learning. To talk about MedEd, Dr. David Gratzer sat down with returning guest Dr. Ivan Silver, former vice president of education at CAMH and vice dean of the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Medicine.
During their conversation we learn:
MedEd evolved from being under-valued to having entire centres built that are geared towards faculty development.Saying “yes” and taking risks can change your life.Dr. Silver’s thoughts on where a tool like ChatGPT may fit in your future practiceAnd finally, if you can teach a 6- to 8-year-olds to do something they aren’t initially interested in – you can do just about anything!Follow us on X(formerly known as Twitter)
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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“We want to really be cautious because these are complex pieces of software “
Should we be using an AI-based tool like ChatGPT in practice? Is it ready? Are we? In this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. Gratzer speaks with returning guest Dr. John Torous about the impact tools like this could have on mental health care, both now and in the future.
During their conversation we learn:
ChatGPT is just one of many large language models available.Google Research is creating one specifically for medical education.It’s a good tool for psychoeducation and quick drug-drug interactionsAI is already being integrated in to EMRs.There have been use cases that impacted both patient privacy and ethical concerns.Until the technology companies solve the privacy issue, never input PHI.And, one day, you may rely on a tool like ChatGPT to write your discharge summaries.Follow us on X(formerly known as Twitter)
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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On this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. Gratzer explores the increasing interest in coercive interventions across various jurisdictions. Joining him is journalist Anna Mehler Paperny who shares her personal experiences with involuntary hospitalization, highlighting the complex balance between patient rights and intervention.
During this candid conversation we learn:
the possible reasons for the resurgence of coercive careif the long-term risks associated with coercion outweigh the short-term benefitsthe importance of physicians to treat patients with respect and to recruit them as collaborators in their careAnna’s thoughts on how we can expand voluntary care.Follow us on X(formerly known as Twitter)
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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“I’ll never forget when it happened.”
Up to 80% of psychiatrists experience a suicide loss in their careers and a recent survey found that the majority of them felt caught off guard by the emotional impact it had on their lives. On this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer and his guest, Dr. Juveria Zaheer discuss the impact on psychiatrists of losing a patient to suicide.
Throughout this thoughtful conversation we learn:
losing a patient to suicide happens to up to 80% of psychiatrists.shock, grief, sadness, depression, anxiety, and guilt are all normal feelings when this happens.two of the paper’s recommendations are already being implemented to help physicians deal with loss.and that the names of Russian authors are difficult to pronounce.Follow us on Twitter
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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“Burnout has become a loose term that means different things to different people.”
Is burnout, in fact, depression? In this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer enjoys a lively conversation with Dr. Srijan Sen, Professor of Depression and Neurosciences at the University of Michigan, who argues that it is. They also discuss the confusion about its definition (182 studies had 142 different definitions), the key contributing factors (workload, environment and – no surprise – the EMR), and how the old concept of a doctor’s lounge could be a new way of helping to address burnout.
During their discussion we learn:
“burnout” is often used as a loose term that means different things for different people, which can make it difficult to study and treat,there is an artificial divide between burnout and depression that needs more research,depression rates among medical professionals have increased world-wide,the traditional stigma around physician’s reporting mental health issues is on the decline,what a few of the main contributors are that lead to burnout and depression,and how per-support and, yes, medical staff lounges can help keep burnout at bay.THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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“The lines between sleep, health and mental health in general are blurred.”
Sleep is an important topic. It comes up on a regular basis when we meet with our patients. But what are the best treatments to prescribe? Is medication the way to go? What are our options?
On this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer hosts CAMH psychiatrist and sleep medicine specialist, Dr. Michael Mak. They discuss the impact of sleep (or lack thereof) on mental health and the current psychopharmacological and therapeutical treatments available.
** During this episode’s conversation we learn about:**
the impact insomnia and other sleep disorders have on mental healthhow the new family of insomnia treatments compares to the oldpossibly the best form of treatment currently availableand how mobile apps and web tools play a role in sleep therapy.Follow us on Twitter
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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“It's not necessarily all sunshine and rainbows.”
A major, new study in The New England Journal of Medicine considers psilocybin and its potential for refractory depression. It’s received enthusiastic media coverage. Breakthrough drug? Overhyped headlines? Today, on Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer is joined by one of the study co-authors, Dr. Ishrat Husain Tier 2 Canada Research Chair and lead of the Mood Disorder Service at CAMH, to delve deeper into this headline-grabbing research.
During their discussion we learn:
how to talk to your patients asking about using psilocybin therapeuticallythe encouraging results of the study – and the adverse effects as wellhow practical it would be to scale up the study into current treatment algorithmsand if microdosing is really all its hyped-up to be.Follow us on Twitter
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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“Always leave them wanting more.”
On this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer enjoys a conversation with retiring psychiatrist, Dr. David Goldbloom. They discuss research, stigma, Dr. Goldbloom’s optimism for the future of psychiatry, and, yes, his retirement plans (spoiler alert: he’s thinking about writing a book and no mention of golf).
As he heads into retirement Dr. Goldbloom shares his thoughts on:
• Therapeutics: He is frustrated with the slow progress on their development.
•The state of psychiatry today: He is excited by the shift among younger psychiatrists towards the care of people with severe and persistent mental illness.
• The future: He is optimistic on the acceleration in the quality and sophistication and reach of research and our ability to forge new paradigms.
• And he leaves us all with some sage advice:
o “See as many patients as you can because the exposure to a wide variety of people and wide variety of journeys is both humbling and profoundly educational.”
o “We don't seek second opinions as often as we should, and there's no way on earth we can be right all the time.”Follow us on Twitter
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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“We can create an environment that’s safe, predictable, consistent, standardized and reproducible.”
To discuss how simulation is changing the world of med-ed, Dr. David Gratzer hosted Dr. Petal Abdool, Medical Director of the CAMH Simulation Centre, and Stephanie Sliekers, Manager of Simulation and Digital Innovation at CAMH.
You’ll hear all about:
• the new Simulation Centre at CAMH
• VR courses already developed for suicide assessment
• another VR project in the works for opioid overdose treatment
• and the aspirations of the Centre to implement AI in future training.
Follow us on TwitterTHANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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“It’s highly prevalent, highly available, highly pure and highly destructive.”
In this episode of Quick Takes, Dr. David Gratzer speaks with Dr. David Castle, Director of the CAMH Centre for Complex Interventions, about the upwards trend in crystal methamphetamine use, its impact on health care visits and the risk of violence, the medication and psychological interventions available, and, yes, the Australian experience (no mention of digeridoos, however).
You’ll learn a lot in this 28-minute episode, including:
• why there's been that sharp rise in use here in Canada
• its impact on emergency departments and on staff physical and mental health
• steps to take when dealing with an agitated patient
• medications that work in different scenarios
• and the evidence for psychological and psychosocial interventions.Follow us on Twitter
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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“It’s an extraordinary program that literally helps hundreds of thousands of people a year.”
During this discussion you will learn:
• the incredible recovery rate of IAPT patients
• the trackable outcomes are nearly 100%
• how the program has become more equitable
• and just they do with all the data the program collects.Follow us on Twitter
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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“We need to think about more than just the classic medical model borrowed from infectious disease: simple bug, simple drug.”
Today’s conversation on Quick Takes between Dr. David Gratzer and former National Institute of Mental Health Director, Dr. Thomas Insel, delves into what’s right and what’s wrong with the current state of mental health care.
Some highlights of this conversation include:
• acknowledgement that existing treatments work, but the system is not delivering care well.
• treatment tends to focus on drug therapies for symptom reduction rather than on plans for long-term recovery
• care is often unaffordable and unavailable, particularly for those who need it most and are experiencing homelessness
• and the key to recovery involves the three Ps – people, place, and purpose.Follow us on Twitter
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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“I think most physicians should be aware that there is some evidence.”
Cannabis continues to be a topic of interest to clinicians and in this episode of Quick Takes Dr. David Gratzer sits down with Dr. Kevin Hill of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School to discuss where we are at with using cannabinoids in treatment.
In this discussion we learn:
• there is a link between patients with AUD and OUD and long-term cannabis use
• some “droplets” of data that cannabis is effective as an adjunct pharmacotherapy for schizophrenia do exist
• the science isn’t keeping up with patients’ desire to use it therapeutically
• and, for the most part, the doses of CBD and THC that people might need for the disorders that they are trying to receive a relief from are much higher than what most people are taking.Follow us on Twitter
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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“There's this unanimous sense that how could something like this not exist? It seems so logical and beneficial.”
This episode of Quick Takes kicks off a new series on mental health care innovations. These are short and focused episodes we hope you will enjoy.
In this episode Dr. Gratzer speaks with Dr. Ainslie Heasman, about her about her program aimed at preventing sexual abuse, Talking for Change.
In this discussion we learn:
• How important this program is to intervene with the individuals who may engage in abuse, as opposed to offering services to children to prevent their own abuse.
• The difficulty in measuring the impact of both anonymous and non- anonymous interventions.
• How well-suited this program is to the world of digital mental health care.Follow us on Twitter
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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“I would get home at the end of my long shifts on the wards, and I would have nothing left. Nothing left for myself, nothing left for my spouse, nothing left for my children.”
After another year of pandemic, the topic of physician burnout is more relevant than ever. On this episode of Quick Takes Dr. Gratzer speaks with award-winning medical educator and bestselling author Dr. Jillian Horton(of the University of Manitoba) about identifying signs of burnout and strategies to deal with it. The conversation is very personal – Dr. Horton, a practicing internist, talks about her own experiences.
In this discussion with Dr. Horton, we talk about:
• ways to identifying and combat burnout
• how you may not fit the clinical mold for the definition of burnout, but you could still be experiencing it
• the stigma around talking about burnout is gradually lifting
• organisational and systemic factors are the primary drivers of burnout, period.Follow us on Twitter
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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Can the wearable on your patient’s wrist help prevent their next manic episode?
On this episode of Quick Takes Dr. Gratzer hosts Dr. John Torous, digital psychiatry expert and the first guest to appear on 3 podcast episodes. They always have plenty to talk about as the field of digital mental health care continues to expand. This time, the primary focus is on wearables and data collection.
They discuss how data captured on devices (especially related to sleep and exercise) can potentially improve care – and overall health; the types of “passive data” that can be collected; and the pros (behaviour and environment) and cons (privacy, privacy, privacy!) that come with it.
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During another fascinating tech talk between Drs. Gratzer and Torous we learn about:
the implications of wearables in mental health carewhat forms they currently take (watches, rings, phones)the types of data that can be collectedsome can benefit treatment of schizophrenia and depressionothers would help provide accurate social determinants databut, in all cases, there may be risk to data and patient privacy to considerhow COVID ignited synchronous digital mental health care via telehealthand how an asynchronous care using data from wearables and apps is due to ignite next.---
Hear more from Dr. John Torous on previous episodes of Quick Takes:
Episode 3: What all physicians need to know about digital psychiatry.Episode 11: What all physicians need to know about mental health apps.
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Follow us on Twitter
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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Patients wait for care; quality is often uneven. Can we do better?
In this episode, Dr. David Gratzer speaks with Dr. David Goldbloom, Senior Medical Advisor at CAMH and a professor at the University of Toronto. Dr. Goldbloom (a returning guest) has just written We Can Do Better: Urgent Innovations to Improve Mental Health Access and Care. They speak about the book – and Dr. Goldbloom’s optimism.
Dr. Goldbloom discusses real-world examples of innovation: a publicly-funded psychotherapy program in the UK that treats 600,000 people a year; a Nova Scotia program that helps families of children with ADHD and has inspired similar work in Vietnam and Finland; and a major Canadian study that has changed the way we think about homelessness. We also discuss the implications for policy makers – and for clinicians. And, yes, we do talk about The Simpsons.
With Dr. Goldbloom’s book We Can Do Better: Urgent Innovations to Improve Mental Health Access and Care as the basis of the conversation we learn:
Clients, families, and physicians alike all agree that the current system in Canada just isn’t good enough.Programs exist in places such as the UK and Australia that are already doing things better.Canada has created its own internationally successful programs but has had difficulties expanding across our own country.Traditionally the number of years it takes for clinical and innovation to be translated into clinical practice has been exceedingly slow.The pandemic has sparked rapid change they hope will continue.Follow us on Twitter
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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Sometimes it’s the simple things that make the biggest impact on patient care.
In episode 14 of Quick Takes Dr. Gratzer talks to two leading experts on transgender care, Dr. Alex Abramovich and Dr. June Lam to get their input on how to foster a respectful and supportive care setting.
The conversation flows between research studies and in-person care and provides an excellent overview of the trans experience in mental health care.
You’ll hear about:
how hormone replacement therapy may interact with psychotropic medicationsthe importance of using the right language when addressing and working with your trans patientsthe high rates of depression, homelessness and suicidality that studies have foundand tips for working with your trans patients to help lower those statistical rates.Follow us on Twitter
THANKS FOR LISTENING!
Quick Takes is a production of the Center for Addiction and Mental Health. You can find links to the relevant content mentioned in the show and accessible transcripts of all the episodes we produce online at CAMH.ca.
Follow CAMH Education on X (formerly known as Twitter) @camhEdu
Follow and subscribe to Reading of the Week where, every week, Dr. David Gratzer reviews research papers from the world of psychiatry.
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