05/30/2022

Friends of Franz Podcast S1 E19: Psychiatry and Psychotherapy with Dr. Cigdem Gök

May is annually designated to be Mental Health Awareness Month, and this sphere of the mind and the psyche has long been assaulted by stigma, shame, and fear. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 280 million people worldwide have depression, with over 700,000 people dying due to suicide annually. Despite the medical and scientific advancements that have produced so many life-saving treatments, both pharmacological and psychosocial interventions, more than 75% of low-income and middle-income countries do not receive any treatment. So many questions arise in this often misunderstood and mislabeled field. There is no better source of information to close out this awareness month than an expert on the mind, behavior, cognition, and all of its disorders than a psychiatrist and psychotherapist herself: Dr. Cigdem Gök from Luxembourg.

Receiving her medical degree from Turkey, subsequently working for several years in neurology and psychosomatic illnesses in Germany, attaining her specialization and board certification in the European dual program of psychiatry and psychotherapy, Dr. Gök stands as a medical practice owner and bearer of direction and hope to many who are afflicted by disorders of their mood, emotions, personality, and behavior.

Are mental disorders truly pathological, or are they "just in the mind"? What are the cultural implications of mental disorders? Do the reasons, causes, and symptoms vary across geography and history? Is depression genetic? Is there any religious underpinning to depression and anxiety? How can one ground themselves during a panic attack? Are medications the only solution to treating psychiatric disorders? How effective are therapies like CBT compared to antidepressants like SSRIs? Can one truly heal from psychological and emotional trauma? We take a deep and sensitive dive into the realm of the mind that medicine continues to normalize time and time again.