PSYCHIATRIC VIEWS ON THE DAILY NEWS
Through the yr 2024, many psychiatrists have been involved concerning the conflicts and wars all over the world. The one within the Mideast particularly evoked a number of controversy amongst us. One thought and suggestion was to ascertain a Caucus on Peace and Psychiatry within the American Psychiatric Affiliation, however that has not but been accepted.
Because the yr was coming to a detailed, one of the crucial concerned psychiatrists, Jim Fleming, got here up with a peaceable concept that coincided with the uncommon confluence of Christmas and Hanukah, typically referred to as Chrismukkah. He requested me, what a few 300 or so phrase essay contest on “How can peace-loving psychiatrists leverage the confluence of Hanukkah and Christmas this yr?” In fact, I replied. Amongst different issues we now have executed collectively, we characterize the two religions and, reality be instructed, typically disagree as a lot as agree about main international conflicts.
Jim examined out the concept on his cellphone AI app and in 45 seconds obtained a related response. The 4 temporary sections had the 4 promising factors: Unity in variety; interfaith dialogue; cultural change; and a message of hope.
The closing AI remark was the intelligent:
“So, let’s elevate a metaphorical glass of eggnog and spin a dreidel for unity, lets?”
And a contest was born. Time was very quick, so we did our greatest to publicize this description to our connections with colleagues:
Query: What’s the Significance for World Peace of this 12 months’s Confluence of Christmas and Hanukkah?
December twenty fifth this yr is the as soon as in a era or so Christmas Day and the start of Hanukkah referred to as Chrismukkah. Hanukkah refers to when a Jewish household and their followers miraculously defeated the Greek oppressors and the oil for his or her temple gentle lasted 8 days as an alternative of 1. Christmas celebrates the delivery of Jesus. Each Jews and Christians have been concerned in lots of wars over historical past.
Given our 2 main international wars, inside civil wars, and different armed conflicts, many psychiatrists are recommending the event of some organized group to work on the function of psychiatrists in stopping such conflicts and the remedy of the ensuing psychological problems.
In the mean time, a Christian and a Jewish psychiatrist wish to conduct a contest to attempt to write one of the best 300 or much less phrase essay—severe or humorous—on answering whether or not Chrismukkah conjures up something of significance for world peace. The winner(s) will hopefully have their essay(s) posted in Psychiatric Occasions.
To take part, ship your submission to each of us judges by January 2nd, the final day of Hanukkah. Winner(s) must be introduced within the subsequent week or 2 thereafter.
James Fleming and H. Steven Moffic
Speedy responses diversified. Some preferred the competition and submitted. Others questioned if the title was a bit like a mockery. One other questioned about such various titles as a artistic problem or invitation to share reflections. All can be saved in thoughts for one thing comparable for the top of 2025, and we do invite ongoing responses from our readership.
So, stayed tuned for the announcement of the winner(s), hopefully this upcoming Monday, January 6.
Dr Moffic is an award-winning psychiatrist who specialised within the cultural and moral facets of psychiatry and is now in retirement and retirement as a non-public professional bono neighborhood psychiatrist. A prolific author and speaker, he has executed a weekday column titled “Psychiatric Views on the Each day Information” and a weekly video, “Psychiatry & Society,” because the COVID-19 pandemic emerged. He was chosen to obtain the 2024 Abraham Halpern Humanitarian Award from the American Affiliation for Social Psychiatry. Beforehand, he obtained the Administrative Award in 2016 from the American Psychiatric Affiliation, the one-time designation of being a Hero of Public Psychiatry from the Speaker of the Meeting of the APA in 2002, and the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the Nationwide Alliance for the Mentally In poor health in 1991. He introduced the third Rabbi Jeffrey B. Stiffman lecture at Congregation Shaare Emeth in St. Louis on Sunday, Might 19, 2024. He’s an advocate and activist for psychological well being points associated to local weather instability, doctor burnout, and xenophobia. He’s now enhancing the ultimate guide in a 4-volume collection on religions and psychiatry for Springer: Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, Christianity, and now The Japanese Religions, and Spirituality. He serves on the Editorial Board of Psychiatric Occasions.
