Go Retire Psychiatrist

Today’s topic for May Mental Health Month is reaching out to a friend. I can give a shout out to three. This is a quirky one for me because two of them are long distance and one of them I haven’t communicated with for years. This stretches the definition of friend a little.

So, on a personal note, one was (I think) in the Child Psychiatry Residency program sometime in the 1990s at The University of Iowa while I was there. Since I don’t know how to reach him, I’m just going to give a shout-out to Dr. Robin Haaland, MD who has recently retired from practice in North Dakota. I really don’t have a clear idea how to get in touch with him just to say hello and thanks for being my friend in those days. On the other hand, I was very impressed with a news article he wrote for a North Dakota newspaper about a youth correctional center. I realize he published it in 2009 in the Grand Forks Herald, which was a while ago, but it really shows what a stand-up community-minded doctor he is. Rob had a great sense of humor when I knew him and I imagine he still does. I wish him a lot of luck in his retirement. Maybe he’ll find this on the web.

The other friend is also rather long distance but we communicate through our blogs. George Dawson, MD who has been writing the blog Real Psychiatry even longer than I’ve been blogging. You should know that I started back around 2010, about the time I and several colleagues were putting together my handbook of consultation-liaison psychiatry. I canceled my previous blog which was first called The Practical Psychosomaticist. George has a lot of courage, stamina, resilience, wisdom, and intelligence. You should read his blog post “The Reality of Mental Illness is Much More Than Stigma.” Then you’ll understand one reason why I respect and admire him so much.

The third friend is my wife, Sena. I bet you thought I was going to forget that one. When I think about it, there are many defining features of what makes a great friend. One of them usually is whether and how they stick with you not just when you’re great, but even when you’re awful. That’s part of the reason for the term “fair weather friend.” She’s stuck with me through 48 years of thick and thin. If that’s not friendship, I don’t know what is.