Archive for May 2025

Many patients worldwide experience medical gaslighting – a social phenomenon where a patient’s health concerns are not given appropriate medical evaluation and are instead downplayed, misattributed or dismissed outright. Medical gaslighting is rooted in centuries of gender bias in medicine. Women’s reproductive health issues have long been dismissed as psychological or “hysterical.” Genital and pelvic pain especially has been misattributed to psychological rather than biological causes: A century ago, Freudian psychoanalysts incorrectly believed that female sexual pain came from psychological complexes like penis envy.

In 1785 English philosopher Jeremy Bentham designed the perfect prison: Cells circle a tower from which an unseen guard can observe any inmate at will. As far as a prisoner knows, at any given time, the guard may be watching—or may not be. Inmates have to assume they’re constantly observed and behave accordingly. Welcome to the Panopticon.

Translation: One should occupy oneself with those matters that produce enthusiasm and joy and not waste valuable time fabricating doubts about all things great and small.

Analyzing data from the 2016-2021 National Inpatient Sample, UCLA researchers found that 25% of 7350 patients hospitalized for scooter-related injuries were using substances such as alcohol, opioids, marijuana and cocaine when injured…. the study also notes that overall scooter-related hospitalizations during the 5-year period jumped more than eight-fold, from 330 to 2705.

GHB (also sometimes called “G”, “juice”, “Gina” or “fantasy”) has gained attention globally due to associated harms. It is generally a colourless and odourless liquid which may taste bitter or salty. When taken at higher doses, GHB acts as a depressant, slowing down breathing and heart rate. At low doses (about 1ml), it can cause effects such as euphoria, increased libido and lowered inhibitions. For this reason, GHB is often used as a party drug (for example, in night clubs) and to facilitate sex.