Dr Prem Kumar on Bipolar Disorder, Classifications, Symptoms, Treatments, Depression & Mania

Doffing the Hat

What is Bipolar?
Bipolar or Bipolarity is a complicated condition. Many people think they have it without any medical diagnosis but probably don't, and probably, even more, do have it and don't know it yet.
In this episode of Doffing the Hat, I talk to one of the world's most knowledgeable minds on the condition, Consultant Neuropsychiatrist, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Prem Kumar Chandrasekaran
Dr Prem is the Head of Neuro behavioural Services at Penang Adventist Hospital and, during his career, has worked in many leading hospitals, including ones in the UK and Australia. He peer-reviews papers, is a fellow of the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia and is a Council member of the College of Physicians.
Dr Prem has recently published a book called The Varied Masks of Bipolarity. In our conversation, we'll be talking about all things bipolar, explaining what it is, causes, symptoms, misdiagnosis, treatments, general depression, schizophrenia and more.
In addition to talking about all things relating to the condition, Paul Godbold and Dr Prem talk about alternative therapies, living with bipolar conditions, how friends and family should interact with someone who has been diagnosed, and we also explore some of the common myths associated with the condition.
How to contact Dr Prem and where to purchase his book
You can purchase Dr Prem's book The Varied Masks of Bipolarity here. Dr Prem can be contacted via his professional Facebook page here.
Biography
Dr Prem is the Head of Neurobehavioral Services at Penang Adventist Hospital. He graduated with MBBS in 1993, Masters in Psychological Medicine in 2000 and Fellowship in Neuropsychiatry in 2007. He has worked in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, St. Charles Hospital, London and St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne.
He had been accredited for ECT in England in 2003 and for Psychopharmacology in France in 2004, trained in Dementia and Old-age Depression and Bipolar Disorder in Denmark in 2009 and 2012, respectively and certified in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Neuronavigation in The Netherlands in 2015.
He was admitted into the Academy of Medicine of Malaysia in 2004 and made a Fellow in 2014, and is currently the Field of Practice reviewer, CPD Accreditation Team member, Psychiatry Chapter Founding Chairman, as well as Council member of the College of Physicians. He served as the Head of the Medical Unit at Penang Adventist Hospital from 2012 to 2014.
He has published and reviewed articles in local and international journals and was the Founding Editor and later Sub-editor of his alumni medical journal. He has contributed to book chapters and is the author of the handbook ‘The Varied Masks of Bipolarity’.
He maintains his love for teaching by lecturing at the Royal College of Surgeons-University College Dublin’s Malaysia Campus in Penang, where he holds an Associate Professor post. He also conducts training in collaboration with medical associations and selected pharmaceuticals.

Chapters

1. Dr Prem Kumar on Bipolar Disorder, Classifications, Symptoms, Treatments, Depression & Mania (00:00:00)

2. About Dr Prem Kumar (00:00:43)

3. Why Psychiatry? (00:02:11)

4. His book, The Varied Masks of Bipolarity (00:05:22)

5. Why are mental health problems rising globally? (00:08:45)

6. The mental health of people working in healthcare (00:11:08)

7. Dr Prem explains Bipolarity (00:13:31)

8. What are the symptoms? (00:17:07)

9. Widening Bipolar classifications (00:21:34)

10. The myths associated with Bipolarity (00:24:20)

11. How others should interact with someone who has bipolar (00:27:47)

12. Helping a patient that refuses to talk (00:31:44)

13. What are the tests for bipolarity? (00:33:39)

14. Misdiagnosis (00:35:00)

15. Does depression worsen over time without treatment? (00:38:58)

16. Recent developments is Psychiatry (00:42:29)

17. Alternative therapies (00:49:16)

18. Meditation as a treatment (00:53:18)

19. Side effects from medication (00:55:44)

20. Meditation to help with depression and grief (00:59:28)

21. Switching off at the end of the day (01:05:15)

22. Career highlights (01:06:18)

23. Wrapping up the episode (01:12:15)