E.12 - Ask the Shrink with Dr. Jake Kagan

Today we dive into part two of our conversation with board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Jake Kagan in which he answers listener questions about psychedelics, treatment for bipolar disorder, and much more. If you haven't already, take a listen to part one of our conversation in episode 8. You won't want to miss this mental health-packed episode!

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Quotable:

"On the flip side, I like to cut through the bullshit of the word natural. Anything you put in your brain is not natural, right? Excessive sugar is not natural. A box of crispy green donuts is not natural. We're not designed to do that, right? Marijuana is not natural because it's a plant. Lithium is a natural occurring element as we know, right? But it's also an incredibly toxic, sometimes helpful, but toxic substance to take in that can be used for bipolar. We call it a medication. Arsenic is naturally occurring. Cyanide is naturally occurring, right? Digitalis is a medication for cardiac conductive illness, it' a flower, but it's also deadly in the wrong doses. So let's cut through the crap around the words we use and not call it natural, let's call it: an agent that you're putting into you're putting into your brain."

"I'm all for empowering people to do their own research, but to me that's also a failure of the system. Maybe they don't have somebody they trust. And it might be helpful too, for this person, if it's possible, maybe there's a way they could seek a second opinion to just absolutely find someone else who they could trust a little more."

"I do think it's really important to set expectations and boundaries about what people can and can't do when they're around you. That's probably the only thing that works, but I'm also sensitive to how hard that is."

Hosted by:

Marta Kagan

Stef Ziegler

About our Guest:

Dr. Kagan is an Adult Psychiatrist and physician executive dedicated to the design and implementation of system-level solutions that ensure all Americans have equitable access to excellent Behavioral Healthcare. Dr.Kagan currently serves as the Vice President and Senior Medical Director for Behavioral Health at the Massachusetts-based non-profit health plan Commonwealth Care Alliance(CCA). Prior to joining CCA in 2021 he held the position of Chair for Behavioral Health at Atrius Health for 7 years, overseeing a series of state and nationally recognized care model transformations. Dr.Kagan graduated Magna Sum Laude with Research Honors from Amherst College, received his M.D. from Cornell Medical College and completed Adult Residency training at Cambridge Health Alliance.

Links:

Dr. Kagan's Linkedin