Once a little-discussed topic, physician suicide is a problem receiving growing attention.
And it’s not only individual stresses such as long hours or the death of a patient that can be factors in physician depression and suicide, according to an investigation by Newsy, which provides video news and analysis on top stories in the news. After months exploring the causes of physician suicide and what is being done about it, experts told the news source that the healthcare system creates a culture that contributes to the problem of physician suicide.
The investigation includes interviews and communications from dozens of doctors. Numerous physicians said they often feel that they can’t seek therapy for depression and mental health issues due to concerns they will endanger their medical license or hospital credentialing. An estimated 400 physicians commit suicide each year.
Doctors said there is a stigma around mental health, and hospitals and medical schools lack confidential counseling where physicians and medical students can seek help, the investigation found. Doctors also told the news source that there is little support for coping with stress and traumatic events, although that is starting to change as more healthcare systems adopt wellness programs for their physicians and some medical schools are taking steps to offer more support for trainees.
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"They suffer alone because they don't feel like they can tell anybody what's going on," Katherine Gold, M.D., a researcher at the University of Michigan, told Newsy.
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But state medical boards are starting to make changes to encourage doctors to seek treatment, the investigation found. Physician stress and burnout was one of the top five regulatory issues cited by state medical boards in a survey earlier this year. Research shows that burnout has led 1 in 5 doctors to plan to reduce their clinical hours. And roughly 1 in 50 doctors plan to leave medicine altogether within the next two years.
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It's consistent with studies which have found that a fear of losing their jobs or licenses keeps many doctors from seeking treatment for substance abuse disorders.
Talking more openly about physician suicide is the key to saving lives, says Pamela Wible, M.D., an Oregon-based family physician, who has gathered the stories of more than 750 physicians who committed suicide to explore the associated stressors.
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