Being Whole

The article in the New York Times below addresses a concerning issue with the rising death toll of young whites due to suicide and drug overdose partly related to prescription drugs misuse.

As a physician who has been practicing for 16 years, I look back and reflect on my profession and our healthcare system.
Are we health providers listening to our young patients? Do we have the time to listen? Do we see what they see eye to eye?
Are we failing our role in educating them and instead providing them with tools to kill themselves?
We can’t sit blind and expect things to change. We share the responsibility to bring awareness and build more trust.

The character for the word WHOLE in Chinese medicine 全 is a combination of two characters. The top part resembles a human while the lower one resembles a kingdom. It is a beautiful character reflecting the state of feeling complete by combining humanity with wisdom, power and self-control.

It is time for us as physicians to focus more on how we can make a real difference for our youngsters and empower them to get healthier. It is time to work with them and be part of the solution instead of the problem ourselves. There is nothing more beautiful and powerful than the human being. Life is so precious and our youths rely on us for help.
Let us all be whole.

Best,
Anas Hana, MD