Encore: Doctor Koppe — PTSD and me

Hilton Koppe was a beloved country GP for 30 years before an unexpected health crisis of his own forced him to reassess everything (R)

Hilton Koppe grew up knowing his parents wanted him to become a doctor and so when he got the marks to make it into medicine, they were overjoyed.

By the time he was 30, he'd started working as a country GP.  Hilton then became a beloved local doctor in Northern NSW, and he worked there for more than three decades.

But a few years ago, Hilton's own health suddenly went awry. He started experiencing constant neck pain, and then the side of his face went numb.

He was sent him for an MRI, which revealed nothing.

But then Hilton's own GP gave him an unexpected diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, related in part to his work as a doctor.

This news up-ended almost everything about Hilton's life.

This episode of Conversations explores medicine, Australia's medical system, Judaism, migration, post WW2 migration, Jewish families, Australian multi culturalism, family dynamics, health, wellbeing, PTSD, trauma, mental health diagnosis, South Africa, fascism.

Hilton's memoir is called One Curious Doctor.

To binge even more great episodes of the ‘Conversations podcast’ with Richard Fidler and Sarah Kanowski go the ABC listen app (Australia) or wherever you get your podcasts. There you’ll find hundreds of the best thought-provoking interviews with authors, writers, artists, politicians, psychologists, musicians, and celebrities.