Stimulus: A Medical Humanities Journal

The Maze of the Mind

Karen Hernandez — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Patients may seem okay from the outside, but they may feel imprisoned in a labyrinth in their minds. The patient in the illustration displays masking as they exhibit a colorful palette. At the same time, their head seems to indicate very dark colors. As the patient looks up in this illustration, the patient conveys signs of hopefulness. The maze of the mind may be a long journey for someone, and many people delay getting any help due to the stigmas of mental illness. They are racing in their heads every day whether they should seek help or keep everything inside of them. Doctors will never know if their patient is going through something if they do not try to take the time to communicate with their patients.

Curtain

Uchechi Etumnu — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Hello there! My name is Uchechi Etumnu. I graduated UTA Fall 2021 as a Biology major with a passion for health care and education. I was also previously involved in the AMAZING Mavericks for Medical Humanities Spring 2020 - Fall 2021 as one of the founding officers.

Being a doctor can be a challenging process, but being a black, female doctor is even more challenging. Although it is hard, it is never impossible.

Therefore, I wrote a poem called “Curtain” to encourage anyone who has ever struggled with their career goals because of discrimination due to their ethnicity, faith, gender, or socioeconomic status, as well as any other experiences that may have occurred.

This is dedicated to you.

You are seen. You are loved. Never give up or quit on your dreams.

Prioritizing Wellness

Sandy Hobart — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

In order to function well the next day, it is very important to prioritize getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night. This is sometimes easier said then done especially with a child, but I have found maintaining a routine helps. My son and I have a bedtime routine starting at 9 PM which consists of story time and breakfast ideas for the next day.

Never a Task, But a Person

Shakyra Silva — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

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PIVOT

Kayode Aremu, Mayur Bhakta — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Hidden Pieces

Kayode Aremu, Ololade Aremu — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Fatphobia in Healthcare

Sarah A. Shelton — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

You Can Still Hold On

Gabrelle Kelley — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

The Power of Literacy

Angie Gonzalez — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Life and Growth in All Forms, Within the Soul

Maleah Galvan — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

This resin piece demonstrates the beauty of life in various forms. The flowers represent growth--rather it be emotionally, mentally, or physically.

Mid-Level Providers May Solve Healthcare Shortages in Underserved Communities

Randy Ramirez, Navvin Sadarangani — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

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Reading Between the Lines

Serena Karim — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Aging Out of Healthcare

Rebecca Bruton — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Care Beyond Medicine

Theresa Huynh — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

This was a short list of lessons I learned being in healthcare.

An Aptitude for Tranquility

Ignazio Previto — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Benbrook Lake on any evening, March 2021.

The Relationship Between the Biopsychosocial Model and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Anna Nguyen — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

As more disorders and diseases are studied, researchers use different models and methods to enhance their knowledge on the subject. One type of model that researchers use is the Biopsychosocial Model. This model gives researchers a better understanding about the topic they are studying. Thus, allowing researchers to identify the characteristics of the disorder or disease. Motivated by that, we are going to show how the biopsychosocial model helps characterize and enhance the understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We will look at the relationship between the model and the disorder, compare the differences between childhood autism and adulthood autism and the characteristics that emerged from using this model. Although ASD is a complex disorder using the biopsychosocial model will help give us a better understanding of ASD.

Mind and body

Ami Patel — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

A drawing of the brain, heart, skeleton, and the skull. Represents the human body and it's vital parts in the function of living.

What If You Were Still Here Now?

Megan Norris — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

A short prose about the thoughts that go through my mind, on a daily basis, about my son, who passed away in 2017.

The Art of ADHD

Asma Saleh — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

In the piece, there are multiple events happening at the same time, and one of the key factors I wanted to highlight in the painting was the constant movement and change that occurred in the mind of one who has ADHD. On the right side of the painting, creativity is expressed through the abstract mediums and inconsistent flows and presses of the brush used. On the left side, however, the art is much neater and has clear imaging rather than having an abstract approach. This represents the right and left hemisphere of the human brain with its creative and logical side, but if that was all, then why are there four dividers rather than two?

To answer that question, one needs to delve into ADHD a little more to find out. To start off, an understanding of what ADHD entails is necessary. ADHD, which stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is often described as “an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development”. An average of 5.4 million children, about 8.4% of the world, has been diagnosed with ADHD, and an even higher amount are predicted to have undiagnosed ADHD. People diagnosed with ADHD often experience symptoms such as: Finding it difficult to sit still, this is especially true in environments that are calm and quiet. A need to constantly fidget and move their fingers. A difficulty when it comes to concentrating and paying all one's attention to a task. An excessive amount of physical movement. As well as excessive talking, beyond the normal. Having difficulty waiting for their turns as well as taking turns. A tendency to do an action before thinking it through. And finally, a habit of interrupting others while they speak.

All in all, those with ADHD often have constant activity buzzing through their mind and are found to actively move from one task to another even without completing the first one. Therefore, I found it best to make not only two sides to the portrait of their brain, but four, since they are constantly firing neurons about multiple things all at the same time.

Fluoroquinolone Toxicity: From Mysterious Internet Illness to My New Reality - A Memoir of My Bout with Levofloxacin

Michael Paul Lewis — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

This short story is a memoir divulging my experience in 2017 with an antibiotic known as levofloxacin and a syndrome called fluoroquinolone toxicity. With this autobiographical account, I hope to educate readers about the toxicity of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, so they can make more informed decisions regarding their health and the health of others and, ultimately, effect positive change in the medical field, either as a student, patient, or provider as far as fluoroquinolone administration, pharmacovigilance, and “floxie” patient advocacy is concerned.

something comforting

Teresa Vu, Jessica Pham — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Our Red Sun

Isabella Moreno — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Just like the Sun, we change. We change every day, every month, every year. This picture was taken at the very beginning of the Fall ’21 semester, and it is by far one of my favorite pictures I’ve ever taken. In my twenty-two years of living, I have never seen a red Sun until that moment, and I’m still waiting to see another one. Usually during sunset, the sky looks different. The clouds and the sky look colorful with swatches of pink, orange, and red. It’s amazing, and it’s all because of the Sun. If we think about it, we actually have a lot more in common with the Sun than we think. When it’s gloomy outside, the Sun still comes out even if we don’t see it, just like we still go to work or to school when we don’t feel 100%. Our co-workers or classmates may not see the effort we put into getting out of bed, but we know it. Because of season and time changes, the days may feel longer or shorter. When the days are long, the Sun seems to never want to go down. A little just like us when we never want a moment to end. Or when the Sun goes down way sooner than expected, it’s like us when we realize something, like a deadline being way closer than we think. The Sun provides for us the way we provide for ourselves, without it we would not be able to live.

The Reality of Barriers to Specific Populations of Pre-Health Students

Eric Rios — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Shedding light on the reality of barriers that several individuals in soecific populations face with respect to being a pre-health student face.

Hope

Anna Tarpley — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

What's at UTA

Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Letter from the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts

Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Letter from Dr. Gellman

Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Letter from the Stimulus Team

Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Meet the Stimulus Team

Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

It Takes Two

Amal Eltahir Ali — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

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Sikhism in the United States of America

Darashagam Nahal — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Shoreline Spirituality

Steven Gellman — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

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The Five Stages of Grief

Karyssa Nelson — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

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Prayer Rug

Joshua Cupps — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

"Prayer Rug" is a piece dedicated to my prayer rug, which was given to me as a gift from a close friend on his return from his home country, Jordan. I wrote this piece at the beginning of Ramadan, a muslim holy month of fasting, prayer, introspection, and community.

The prayer rug has become an important place for me as I have come to know and love Islam. It is a place of peace and reverence, one that I can take with me to disconnect from the stress of everyday life and connect with God. It is also a place of humility. The rug is all that separates me from the Earth as I ask for guidance, strength, and forgiveness. It is also a place of community. Whenever I perform salah, or the five daily prayers, the rug reminds me of my brothers and sisters who are standing with me, unified in time and direction, quietly speaking His word.

The Dimming of the Shining City

Jason V. Terk — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Our nation has been reduced from the ideals of its founding by forces inherent in our contemporary culture. What results is a nation that has failed the test of the pandemic as evidenced by preventable excess morbidity and mortality...and the loss of my patient's father.

Insecurity

Audrey Williams — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

I want my work to serve as portals to another world where stigmatization of mental illness and gender identity are not a reality. I contradict stereotypes of femininity, mental health, and self-perception. While some may consider the self-portrait the ultimate act of narcissism, I revel in it. I invoke imagery from Baroque portraiture, an era categorized by luxury and indulgence. I insert myself and my loved ones into these opulent scenes, but with an unmistakable modern streak. In my portraits, I emphasize features society deems less than perfect. Pores, cuts, and bruises compose the space in a decorative way that may be deemed grotesque. In my experience as a woman with OCD and trichotillomania, these encounters are a reality for me. I hope to capture these realities to spread awareness of my perspective. It is not my goal to romanticize my illness, but rather to acknowledge its power and truth as my reality. In an information-saturated world, I want my works to stand out as moments of raw and confrontative authenticity.

The Day I Decided to Chase the Sun

Dana Johnson — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Rawr

Anthony Pham — Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

Creator Biographies

Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500

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Full Issue

Wed, 25 May 2022 00:00:00 -0500