Episode 4: Are You Coping with Stress in Unhealthy Ways?

Host: Maddy Pearson, DNP, RN, NEA-BC
Guest: Sejal Shah, MD

"When you start to notice that unhealthy habits are getting in the way of your own functioning, that may be the time to consider seeking out friends or family for help or turn to professional help." – Sejal Shah, MD

In times of stress, some of the quickest mechanisms for relief may not be the healthiest. How can we be aware of when our coping mechanism in the moment turns into a pattern of behavior that puts our health at risk? Sejal Shah, MD, chief of the Division of Medical Psychiatry at the Brigham, joins Maddy for a conversation about how to recognize misuse and take good care of ourselves during stressful circumstances.

Show Notes

Our experts have shared the following resources for listeners who wish to continue exploring the topics discussed in this episode:

• SAMHSA National Healthline
• SAMHSA treatment locator
• Psychology Today (find a provider)
• Learning to Cope (family support)
• COVID-19 resources, McLean Hospital
• Strategies for Healthcare Workers to Cope with Daily, Ongoing Stress, McLean Hospital
• “Watch Out for Unhealthy Responses to Stress,” Harvard Health Publishing
• Coronavirus: Mental Health Coping Strategies, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
• Managing Mental Health During COVID-19, American Medical Association
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255 and website

About Our Guest

Sejal Shah, MD

Dr. Shah is the chief of the Division of Medical Psychiatry and the associate vice chair for Clinical Consultation Services at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Dr. Shah leads the Brigham's psychiatric consultation liaison service, the most consulted specialty throughout the Brigham. Units such as general medicine, oncology, cardiology, the Emergency Department, and obstetrics and gynecology call on consulting psychiatrists to assess patients and provide recommendations for care.

She is also the program director of the Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Fellowship, a combined program between Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Dr. Shah is a fellow of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. She is the chair of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Council on Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry and serves as a Massachusetts Psychiatric Society APA representative. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Brigham and Women’s Physicians Organization. Her interests include emergency psychiatry, complex hospital systems issues and medical education.

Episode length: 31:31
Episode air date: April 14, 2021