Category Archives: Media Hits

Television Rehab: Treatment or Trauma?

Source:Huffington PostMarch 8, 2013 Written by:Reef Karim Quoted:Reef Karim Interviewed:Reef Karim

I rolled my eyes when I first heard a rehab show was about to air on television. “Oh, that’s great — a producer-driven inpatient rehab show. Healing on television. Good luck with that.”
I had no doubt it would be “faux” treatment riddled with inherent conflicts including: sensationalistic production tactics trumping what’s right for the client, a total lack of confidentiality, no private time for the clients and also exposure to stressors that are absolutely unnecessary in the process of healing from drugs/alcohol and/or mental health issues. My other immediate concern was, “What happens when the cameras shut down and the lights turn off? What do those people do then? And are you doing more harm than good?”
I thought the problem was primarily ethical with a potential for medical consequences. And although I didn’t expect great results, I never expected the recently-reported five deaths of participants from just one television rehab show.
Respect the disease!
As a double board-certifie… Read More

Lessons From the Petraeus Affair: 3 Reasons Why High-Powered People Cheat and Get Caught

Source:ForbesNovember 15, 2012 Written by:Reef Karim Quoted:Reef Karim Interviewed:Reef Karim

I’m not one to get into political scandals, so I’ll leave that discussion to the experts. But what’s interesting about the recent developments in the Petraeus case is that it’s just one of many sagas of high-visibility people whose poor personal-life decisions are made public – and, of course, result in speedy and humiliating falls from grace. You have to wonder what’s going on in the minds of the highly-visible and highly-accomplished that makes them engage in the risky business of cheating, sexual email exchanges, sexting, and cyberstalking. We can’t get into their heads to find out, but here are some pretty good guesses.
The Insecurity Element
Very powerful or accomplished people may have a touch of insecurity in them. Actually, they may have a lot of underlying insecurity, says Dr. Reef Karim, who heads the Control Center in LA, and treats celebrities, political figures, and royalty for everything from addiction to dealing with reality of their achievements. The internal insecurity of the power players i… Read More

Tattoo Psychology: Art or Self Destruction? Modern-Day Social Branding

Source:Huffington PostNovember 9, 2012 Written by:Reef Karim Quoted:Reef Karim Interviewed:Reef Karim

Body art, body bling, self-graffiti, walking billboards, fashionable ink accessories… Each of these expressions depict the physical nature of the tattoo. What’s often NOT discussed, however, is the emotional side of tattoos.
I vividly remember the first time I saw a “tramp stamp.” A woman was reaching for something in the front row of a large auditorium and a few rows of men and women witnessed her walking artistry. Everyone had a reaction. And once she left the room, we all talked about it. It was like group therapy.
The responses ranged from “She’s definitely a party girl, probably drinks a lot, has a lot of sex and a rough childhood,” to “She’s probably really creative, edgy, a leader and an independent thinker.” Some liked her more, some liked her less and many guys were more interested in her because of the tattoo. Whatever the response, we were all intrigued, and each of us conjured up our own personal version of her story — all from the sight of a well-placed tattoo.
In those days, tatto… Read More

Colorado shooting: How Americans deal with media-driven events

Source:The Christian Science MonitorJuly 25, 2012 Written by:Reef Karim Quoted:Reef Karim Interviewed:Reef Karim

For better and for worse, society today is driven by sophisticated and powerful information technology that allows us to know details about everything virtually immediately. The latest example: the Colorado shooting rampage.
As everyone from politicians to parents of slain children search for answers in the Colorado shooting, many observers say the high-profile event is just the latest example of both the progress and problems in dealing with violent, media-driven events.
We live in a society driven by increasingly sophisticated and powerful information technology that allows us to know details about everything virtually immediately, says UCLA assistant professor and psychiatrist Dr. Reef Karim, adding, “and this has a good and a bad side.”
Cell phone video clips from the Aurora movie theater provided a nearly instantaneous realtime window into events as they unfolded. Television coverage has blanketed everything from Monday’s court appearance by shooting suspect James Holmes to the personal stories of the victims and sur… Read More

Inside the Mind of James Holmes and Mass Murderers

Source:Monsters and CriticsJuly 25, 2012 Written by:Reef Karim Quoted:Reef Karim Interviewed:Reef Karim

In the world of psychiatric medicine, we often have to play the role of emotional detective.
As a psychiatrist, my job is to understand the intricacies of the human mind.
The purpose may be to help strengthen a relationship, assess why someone is self-destructive, diagnose a mental health problem or understand how someone could be dysfunctional enough to commit a mass murder. I’ve worked with individuals who are neurotic, emotional, impulsive, psychotic, self-destructive, suicidal, homicidal and even serial killer mass murderers.
At this very moment, everyone is asking the same question of James Holmes. WHY?
In the world of psychiatric medicine, we often have to play the role of emotional detective.
So let’s go through what kind of questions need to be asked to gain a better understanding of who we’re dealing with and why they may have committed such a tragic and terrible act.
Background Questions:
1) Do they have a history of violence?
2) Do they have a history of mental health impairment? Seen a professional? On medications? Received a… Read More

Are You A Compulsive Networker? 10 Warning Signs

Source:ForbesJuly 12, 2012 Written by:Reef Karim Quoted:Reef Karim Interviewed:Reef Karim

Adrian Miller, founder of sales consultancy Adrian Miller Sales Training in Port Washington, NY, says she’s always been a networkerbutnot always for her own good. In 2008 when the economy took a turn for the worse, Miller became nervous about the future of her business and went into extreme networking mode. “I started going to events morning, noon and night for five days a week hoping I would meet new clients,” she recalls. “I did it for months and was getting overwhelmed and just exhausted.”
On a vacation to Istanbul, Miller started thinking seriously about all the time she had committed to networking. She calculated how much revenue she’d gotten out of months of running around exchanging business cards and realized it was next to nothing. “When I saw I wasn’t getting a return on my time, I knew I had to get the compulsive behavior in check,” she says. “I had turned what was a pleasant activity into a nightmare.”
While career coaches and success gurus expound on the virtues of networking-es… Read More

Money May Make You Mean, But Can You Buy A Heart?

Source:ForbesJuly 3, 2012 Written by:Reef Karim Quoted:Reef Karim Interviewed:Reef Karim

If you Google “wealthy people psychology” you’ll find a lot of articles declaring that the “wealthy lack empathy,” the “wealthy are different,” and “rich people are mean.” In fact, a well-researched article in New York magazine this week dove deep into the relationship between economic status and negative psychological characteristics such as a dearth of empathy, insensitivity to and unregard for other people, the tendency to cheat and even to be a jerk while driving.
If you Google “wealthy people psychology” you’ll find a lot of articles declaring that the “wealthy lack empathy,” the “wealthy are different,” and “rich people are mean.” In fact, a well-researched article in New York magazine this week dove deep into the relationship between economic status and negative psychological characteristics such as a dearth of empathy, insensitivity to and unregard for other people, the tendency to cheat and even to be a jerk while driving.
The evidence is fairly convincing that people of higher socioeconomic status ca… Read More

TomKat Divorce Reignites Five-year ‘Marriage Contract’ Rumors

Source:Fox NewsJuly 2, 2012 Written by:Reef Karim Quoted:Reef Karim Interviewed:Reef Karim

In 2002, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman announced they were divorcing after 10 years of marriage.
On Friday, Katie Holmes announced she was seeking a divorce from Cruise after five.
What’s with the multiples of five, many wondered, as the “marriage contract” rumors that have plagued Cruise for many years heated back up.
In the all-important Twitterverse, “Katie Holmes Tom Cruise Divorce” instantly became a trending topic, with fans weighing in with such tongue-in-cheek tweets as “her contract must have only been five years,” “the contract didn’t get renewed” and “I wish them the best upon completion of their successful completion of their five-year contract.”
Prior to their November 2006 nuptials, reports ran rampant that the then-rising actress would receive $3 million a year for each year she was married to the mega movie star. However, no outlet has seen any contract, and its existence has previously been shot down vehemently by the Cruise camp.
“I’ve heard from different sources that there was a contract, but I never g… Read More

Dr. Reef Karim, Dissects Hollywood relationships and explains why they don’t last

Source:CelebzterJune 29, 2012 Written by:Reef Karim Quoted:Reef Karim Interviewed:Reef Karim

Have you ever wondered why so many Hollywood relationships burn out with lightening speed? So have we. It seems that Tinseltown doesn’t suffer from the seven-year itch, they appear to have itchy feet all the time.
Earlier this week, we spoke to Dr. Reef Karim, The Sex, Drugs & Relationships Doctor and Psychiatrist & Relationship Expert, who has a new book out titled “Why Does He Do That? Why Does She Do That?”.
We went back to him with the topic of Hollywood couples and their subsequent breakups firmly in mind.
Here is our exclusive interview with him….and see what he has to say about Brangelina
Celebzter: Hollywood is littered with broken relationships, why do you think the stars seem to lack an ability to maintain marriages more than most people?
Dr. Reef Karim: Most people (well, over fifty percent) can’t maintain a marriage. In a fast paced society where individual goals seem to be valued higher than emotional connection, it’s hard to maintain ANYTHING long-term.
Now, add the fact that you’re a celebrity. You’re probably surro… Read More

BH Psychiatrist Tackles Social Media Stress

Source:Beverly Hills CourierJune 29, 2012 Written by:Reef Karim Quoted:Reef Karim Interviewed:Reef Karim

Have you twittered today? Is your Facebook page repeatedly bugging you about updates awaiting your attention? Can’t stop texting and driving?
Just reading information from social media sites can send some people’s stress levels soaring, says Reef Karim M.D., board-certified psychiatrist, assistant clinical professor at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and the director of The Control Center outpatient rehab in Beverly Hills.
As a medical specialist in addiction and menta I health, Dr. Reef normally sees patients with chemical and behavioral problems, mood and anxiety difficulties, relationship problems and self-destructive habits.
Lately, however, he’s encountering more and more patients desperate to get the social media monkey off their back. They seek his help at the center, 9777 Wilshire Blvd., because that social media monkey has now turned into an obsessive, all consuming 800-pound gorilla.
“His problems began when he broke up with his girlfriend, became totally stressed out, got
hooked on Facebook an… Read More