Quick HIV primer

Advice - Mind, Body and Family, Apr '16
By Dr. Prasenjit Saha

For your concerns about HIV exposure, its prevention and treatment (in the Indian context). 

Reader queries

There is so much half information about HIV floating around. Can one have a simple list of the most important things that should not be done if one has to prevent HIV infection? And where does one go to find out if one has HIV?

Sameera, West Bengal

The female breast

Advice - Mind, Body and Family, Oct '14
By Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

The female breast is a magical organ – it nourishes, it entices, it nurtures. It stands out as a prominent distinguishing feature between an adult man and an adult woman. It is also one of the most neglected and misunderstood organs of the human body, its beauty and biology under-appreciated.

Vertical infections

Advice - Mind, Body and Family, Sep '14
By Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

After sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and reproductive tract infections, it is time to take a look at mother to child infections. Several infections can be transmitted from a mother to her child. The infections can be transmitted not only during pregnancy, but also during the process of childbirth or breast-feeding. Let’s take a look at some of the common infections that can pass down from mother to child.

Reproductive tract infection alert

Advice - Mind, Body and Family, Aug '14

By Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

In the previous issue we discussed about sexually transmitted infections or STIs. This issue will focus on the basic idea about reproductive tract infections or RTIs.

What is a reproductive tract infection?

The male and female organs of reproduction are often called reproductive tracts. Any infection of the reproductive tract can be called a reproductive tract infection.

Mind that itch!

Advice - Mind, Body and Family, Jul '14

By Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

In this issue, let us explore some frequently asked questions about common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

The term STD includes any disease that can be transmitted by sexual acts. As these diseases are all infectious, they are also known as sexually transmitted infections or STIs. All people irrespective of their biological sex or gender are susceptible to STIs.

Skin (s)care!

Advice - Mind, Body and Family, Jun '14

By Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

Every season comes with its unique set of gifts and tantrums. Summer in India is not very comfortable. With a rise in the maximum temperature every year, Indians are left scorching in the hands of global warming. Given its sub-continental stretch, India has wide differences in weather patterns. In some parts, the summer is hot and humid, while in some other parts it is dry. The amount of rainfall also varies from state to state. This causes local variations in the pattern of summer-related health problems. In most parts, however, people face problems with their skin and hair. This month we turn our attention to some common summer-related skin health problems, associated myths and their medical remedies.

Heat stroke!

Advice - Mind, Body and Family, May '14

By Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

Remember the good old days of summer vacations? It was all fun except the holiday homework. With the earth warming up every day, summer holidays have become more of a necessity than fun.

Psychiatry and homosexuality

Insight, Advice - Mind, Body and Family, Apr '14
By Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

On February 8, 2014, the West Bengal chapter of the Indian Psychiatric Society organized an interactive event in Kolkata to clarify their stand on homosexuality (see A Mental Boost! in the February 2014 issue of Varta). Among a host of issues debated, one was the use of reference books with outdated information on gender and sexuality by students of the MBBS course, the future doctors of India. Varta decided to delve deeper into the matter, and Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta brings you the second and final in a series of articles that analyse the content of some standard reference books (the first article – The Homophobic Doctor – was published in the March 2014 issue of Varta).

The homophobic doctor

Insight, Advice - Mind, Body and Family, Mar '14
By Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

On February 8, 2014, the West Bengal chapter of the Indian Psychiatric Society organized an interactive event in Kolkata to clarify their stand on homosexuality (see A Mental Boost! in the February 2014 issue of Varta). Among a host of issues debated, one was the use of reference books with outdated information on gender and sexuality by students of the MBBS course, the future doctors of India. Varta decided to delve deeper into the matter, and Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta brings you the first in a series of articles that analyse the content of some standard reference books.

The 'dhat' syndrome

Advice - Mind, Body and Family, Feb '14

By Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

When I was working as a junior resident in psychiatry at my mother institution in Kolkata, I had a chance to learn about a large number of interesting ‘cases’. One group of cases was related to nocturnal seminal discharge. Most such patients would say something like this: “Doctor, I am getting weaker day by day. I have lost my appetite, am losing weight, and my sleep is often disturbed. All this has started ever since I developed the bad habit of masturbation. Well, now I have stopped this bad habit. But a new problem has started ever since. My dhat (semen) is flowing out spontaneously, even without any sexual thoughts. Nightfalls have become more frequent. Even when I pass urine, dhat flows out. As a result I am losing weight and developing weakness. Please help.”

Homophobia – an emerging disorder

Advice - Mind, Body and Family, Jan '14

By Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

"I hate the word homophobia. It is not a phobia. You are not scared. You are an asshole" – an unconfirmed Twitter quote of 2012 attributed to Hollywood actor Morgan Freeman

Phobia refers to an irrational fear of an object or situation. There are many phobias we commonly hear of, like arachnophobia or fear of spiders, claustrophobia or fear of closed spaces. Homophobia is a new addition to this long list.

Homophobia refers to an irrational fear and hatred towards gay and lesbian people. In a broader sense it includes or relates to similar negative attitudes towards bisexual and transgender persons as well (biphobia and transphobia). The popular use of the term is new and with time it is being recognized as a specific psychological disorder.

The largest sexual organ

Advice - Mind, Body and Family, Dec '13

By Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

What is the largest sexual organ in the human body? Do not be surprised if I quip," It's our brain."

From attraction to erection and desire to orgasm, it is the brain that controls our mind and body. In fact, an interplay of chemicals decides when and how we will be struck by Cupid.

Let me share an interesting experiment conducted in 1974. Over the Capilano River in North Vancouver, Canada there are two bridges. The first is a five feet wide and 450 feet long suspension bridge constructed solely of a wooden plank and cable. It swings happily in the wind some 250 feet above the turbulent rocky tides. The other option is a solidly built anchored bridge that sits a mere 10 feet above sea level.

Doctor Brain's laboratory

Insight, Advice - Mind, Body and Family, Nov '13
By Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

Prologue

The human body is aptly called a biochemical laboratory. Each time we discover the hidden codes that run the laboratory, we are left surprised at its precision and complexity. While speaking of the human ‘mind’, there is an age-long tug-of-war between biological and behavioural theorists (see The Mind-Body Riddle, September 2013 issue of Varta). It was identified long ago that our mind is a reflection of our brain’s activity, and the mind cannot exist free from the body. It is as simple and perhaps as silly as two computer lovers fighting about the superiority of hardware and software over each other. Both fail to see that both are right about their theory, and both are wrong in ignoring the other. But the tug-of-war seems to entertain us till date.

The male breast

Advice - Mind, Body and Family, Oct '13

By Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

Breast /brest/ noun: Either of the two soft, protruding organs on the upper front of a woman’s body which secrete milk after childbirth.

Source: oxforddictionaries.com

As I was looking for the definition of ‘breast’ in some non-medical dictionary, the most popular dictionaries yielded something close to the one above. Evidently, the popular view of breasts is that of a female organ meant to secrete milk after childbirth.

The mind-body riddle

Advice - Mind, Body and Family, Sep '13
By Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

Health, disease and life soup

Advice - Mind, Body and Family, Aug '13
By Dr. Tirthankar Guha Thakurta

“Life is a sexually transmitted disease and the mortality rate is one hundred percent” – R. D. Laing

Once we are conceived as a single cell in our mother's womb (or elsewhere as in a test tube), we are destined to die. And it is the journey from conception to death that cooks up a ‘soup’ called life. We have no option other than to gulp it down, as long as we live. The only way to ease the gulping process is to customize the soup as far as possible to our liking. From this concept of customizing life comes the ‘effort’ of well-being. This is where the philosophy of health and disease germinates.

Photo credit: Vahista Dastoor

Trying to remain healthy is more a philosophy, than a state of being. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This state is achieved by a harmony between body (physique), soul (mind) and environment (loosely, society).