I worked a shift in emergency department last night.
Yesterday a 24 year old brought in by police because she told her ex she wished to kill her self. She had attempted over dose before. She said she does not wish to die. She said she did not buy enough Tylenol to overdose. She was right. She said she has a fear of abandonment and was trying to get her ex back. She had been through DBT and mindfulness training. I asked her what has she learned that she can use to help herself. She told me she can meditate.
I told her to stand and let me sit in her chair (I was tired from running around anyways)
I then asked her to pretend to teach me how to meditate. She chuckled and then laughed. I saw a huge smile on her face as she began guiding me in meditation. I just closed my eyes and had a little rest while she experienced a moment of freedom. Her preoccupation created by empathy displaced by her empathy.
I told her she was good at it. We had a little chat about her experience in the following perspectives:
1. her own neurodiversity as being highly empathetic.
2. that she is different because everyone is different.
3. the object of attention dictates the moment by moment experience
4. the purpose of meditation is to increase her ability to choose the object of attention.
5. equanimity and acceptance.
I sent her home.
Then I was asked to see a 25 year old that was agitated and aggressive having had her opioid overdose reversed with naloxone. She said she wanted to leave. I asked her what is she going to do about her addiction. She said she wants to get out of here and go get her hamburger at McDonalds (she has a coupon) and then go home. She said she won’t have money to.. till Friday. I asked her what is her specialness. She then for the first time looked at me and said that she is good to others. I asked her if that means she feels other’s pain; and that she escapes her pain by using substances. She then started to tear up. I told her she is stuck but it does not have to be so.
I share the following perspectives with her.
1. Neurodiversity
2. Ability to choose the object of attention can be increased through meditation.
3. Object of her attention dictates her experiences... suffering or otherwise.
4. Anapana meditation by Goenka.
5. Vipassana retreat at Egbert Ontario.
She continue to cry and told me that she will study it and has nothing to lose. I sent her home.
I email my blog to every patient I chat with and encourage them to reach out to me.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
On the topic of polyamory
When your parrot falls in love, it's called polyamorous; When you play games with your parrot, it's called polygamous; When your p...
-
CMA might consider doing more than just reiterating popular headliners without a plan. It might take the leadership to campaign for a cult...
-
“You are eating the same way and have no plans to quit smoking; I am confused as to why you are requesting yet another cholesterol test?” ...
-
I am grateful for my life and my life as a family physician. I tell my patients happiness are transient moments and so are sadness. T...
-
Obesity and diabetes epidemics did not exist prior to the invention of the automobile. Personally I am not going to horse and buggies ( tho...
-
Many seniors tell me they want to stay out of nursing home. I made this log for them to track their self-management between visits.
-
One reason I believe I as a family physician is in a unique position to initiate wellness conversations with patients is because they come ...
-
re·sil·ience /rəˈzilyəns/ noun 1. the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. So this is just my perspectives on re...
-
Snow day. I was the only one in class today. During this morning’s mini-vipassana, I sat for 50 min resisting desire to move. I asked th...
-
Finished day 1 of Mini Vipassana; will meet again Tuesday 8-9. I am aware of a need to commit a time to meditate and started a “Mini Vi...
-
12 percent of the population has gallstones In a US study that followed more than 13,000 adults over ten years, women with higher bloo...
No comments:
Post a Comment