Something no one wants to talk about ...

This topic is a heavy one.  It is emotionally draining and it is personal.  It is a topic we need to start talking about more and it is something no one wants to talk about at work or at home but we NEED to. I am talking about suicide.  So many things fall under that as well, depression, burn out, anger management, compassion fatigue, and an array of many mental health issues.

"Mental Health Issues" for most, bring to mind negative thoughts or association with "there is something wrong with me" or viewed as a sign of weakness.  When brought up, a lot of us run as far and as fast as we can or bury our heads in the sand.  As individuals, we need to change that.

Suicide in Veterinary Medicine has increased drastically.  One study found the suicide rate amongst veterinarians is 4 times higher then the general population and 2 times higher than those in human health care.

In the course of your day do you find you are juggling multiple tasks at work AND thinking of what is going on outside of work? I am fairly positive the answer is YES.  You are present wherever you are physically but are you mentally? Are you thinking of your kids, your spouse, your grades, your job performance, your pet(s), your financial situation, your weight, your health, drug/alcohol use, smoking, your car, your house, the list can go on and on and explode into issues we have no control of.

What we can control is what do we do with those feelings and acknowledge having them.   If we feel  CAN'T control them, we need some help.  We can not be afraid to speak out.  No one should die because they are afraid to speak out.  Admitting we need  help is NOT weak, it is NOT shameful.

In veterinary medicine, we pour ourselves into what we do.  We are invested.  We give everything we have to our patients and to our coworkers often leaving nothing at the end of the day for our families or ourselves. We are horrible at maintaining work-life balance. This is includes the entire veterinary team from client service,  assistants, technical staff, administrators, and veterinarians.

"I am going into veterinary medicine to get rich" said no one ever.  Those of us who dedicate our lives to this profession are caring and compassionate people.  We put the needs of others before our own.  This contributes to our mental health status and to fatigue.  We need to be equipped to deal with this and to recognize when we need help.

Many times, our patients die or are diagnosed with a disease that presents many challenges.  The entire team faces these challenges along with the patient and the owners. They may not look like they are affected, but trust me, they are.

What can we do as a profession & employers?

Contact state & national organizations and request information and continuing education on recognizing the signs of stress, depression, fatigue, burnout, and suicide.

Have counseling start while in school to assist and prepare students

Have mental health/well being education and training be a part of your hospitals mandatory training

Have an open door policy / anytime anywhere safe zone for employees

What can we  do as individuals?

Take care of yourself.  Give your self a break

Take care of others, support them, encourage them, don't judge or make assumptions

Ask for help when needed

All of us who work in health care know life is short and it is unpredictable.  This is a small world, it is time to take care of ourselves and each other, you never know what the person next to you is carrying around with them…