It is July 1969 at PGH (Philadelphia General Hospital), a locked, ancient, psychiatric fortress. Enter the world of psychiatry through the eyes of a 1st year psychiatric resident on his first day of training.
A psychotic, paranoid man smashes a piano stool and using the legs as bludgeoning propellers, tries to kill everyone in his path. He is eventually controlled and placed in leather restraints.
The next day, this clueless resident is assigned to treat, The Man with a Microphone in his Ear. Learning about Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorders, and Paranoid States is the easy part. Overcoming his own fear and how to talk to a psychotic person is something he’ll never forget and will shape his entire psychiatric career.
If this appetizer piques your appetite, check out any of my mystery novels. Each one is a trip into the mind of my characters, and maybe into yourself.
Thanks for reading… Art
#psychosis, #schizophrenia, #psychiatricresident, #paranoia
Art Smukler, MD 