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Dr. Charles W. Meredith specializes in addiction, substance abuse, and bipolar mood disorders, and has been named one of Seattle magazine’s Top Doctors for 2024. 

 

Why did you pick your specialty?

I was interested in the interface between the biological and environmental determinants of behavior and human development, and I was drawn to the opportunity to work with people who felt vulnerable and potentially overlooked by other aspects of the house of medicine, so to speak.

What do you wish people knew about your specialty?

You are very privileged to get a chance to really get to know a lot of interesting people, and you get a chance to see their inner passions, fears, strengths, talents, and inner perseverance in a way that other medical specialties don’t really permit.

How do you support patients with their mental health concerns?

By trying to build a collaborative alliance with them. I try to focus on actively listening, getting to know the person in front of me, helping them identify their goals of treatment, and then presenting treatment options as their adviser. They make the decisions. I only advise. I respect their choices when I disagree with them, and I let them know what I disagree with and why, because I care about them.

How is technology changing health care?

How we had to pivot during the Covid-19 pandemic taught us that we can utilize telehealth platforms to greatly improve access to care and lessen the inconvenience of scheduling with and seeing your doctor. But we also learned that telehealth technology is not perfect, and depersonalizes the treatment relationship to some degree.

What’s the most important healthy habit for a patient?

Lots of habits are very important, particularly exercise. But I think the most important habit is to create and savor at least one strong emotional experience each day, to at least connect momentarily with something outside oneself, whether it be music, an interpersonal relationship, an act of service for others, an experience in nature, or a physical activity. This is an under-appreciated aspect of mental health and substance use disorder recovery, and an important health practice in general.

What questions do you wish patients would ask?

“How am I helping others?” Service to others and connecting with something bigger than ourselves can be therapeutic for many treatment-resistant conditions.

What do you do for your own personal wellness?

Nothing too exciting. I try to get outside every day, connect with nature, listen for the birds, and go for a run. It gets my heart rate up, but it also helps me to slow things down mentally and recharge.