MENTAL FATIGUE

Once I had a Grand Rounds presentation at SUNY, Syracuse, Department of Psychiatry.  The title of the presentation was “Medicine in the Post-modern Era.” My case presentation consisted in filmed sessions of a young patient who was taking a benzodiazepine for Panic Attacks at a moderate dose. It is worth to mention that the doses I use in Mexico are half the amount the doses I prescribed in the USA.  Moderate doses in the USA are high in Mexico.  Why? I let “your free association” to come up with an answer because it is easier for you to follow me when allowing your free associations to come up with an answer.  Afterwards, you should try to “analyze” the free association without pity.  Our free associations play a major role in our mental fatigue.  The way one frames reality according to his/her belief system gives us advantages or destroys us.  It all depends on our experience of analyzing our free associations without pity from all the angles and the knowledge of science.  It is not a matter of having things on the unconscious at this point of the adult life and in our time, but the fear of looking at thing without pity to avoid lying to ourselves.  This young patient had mental fatigue as his main diagnosis.

In six sessions the patient stopped taking the benzodiazepine and was freed of Panic Attacks.  He changed his mind set.  Of course, he was willing to do so. He needed the right guidance at the right moment.  I had the right timing because I was with him at the right moment.  This situation does not happen frequently.  I had patients and family members who are not in the “THERAPEUTIC MODE.”  I could say regarding this matter, allowing my free association to speak based on my experience:  There are patients who are not in need of a change, because they are still meeting their goals.  Sometimes the goal is simple survival and that is when we try to help, even against their will, because we believe “they are suffering.” Interesting cultural concept but I do not hear such assumption in Russians or Chinese people. “Le bon sauvage” in need or not of civilization is a corner stone of our thinking.  I do not know if I am saying it right but I heard that a Buda’s disciple asked Buda for help and wanted to speak to him.  He replied, “Speak to me when you feel well.”

Sergio Santos was asked if he uses a psychologist for athletes.  He replied:  “if they need a psychologist they are not good for the sport of triathlon.”  I am assuming he was referring to another phenomenon that I see in my athletes and workers.  Athletes' lack of tools to be a fighter.  This lack of tools brings mental fatigue rapidly.  It is related to our upbringing and the tools we speak about are teachable at a very early age.  “Values” are the forming elements to create a fighter.  “Hard work, persistence, passion, reflection on our own experience to form new knowledge,” are part of those “values.” Our heroes should have these “values.” The reflection in our experiences called science should guide us to flourish.  Our Albert Einstein, on Physics and Reality, in the Journal of the Franklin Institute (1936), mentioned: “The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking.”  (290.  Ideas and Opinions). The better the reflection, meaning the least amount of lies (or errors, depending on the idiom used) in our judgments; the better is our science.  We need to read, to see, to reflect, and then, there is a chance to improve our science to have an edge.  Listening to Jack Daniels, without Jack Daniels, pointed me to what I try to convey about living with science.

www.flotrack.org/coverage/234673-Saucony-Thirsty-Thursdays-with-Jack-Daniels/video/336107-5-Getting-Confidence-Back-Thirsty-Thursdays

    Saludos, Dr. Nivon