Doctors and Depression 

Please keep talking about this. I worked with a pediatrician who committed suicide soon after residency. Perhaps if he had sought help, it would have helped him.

It be cool if insurance paid for regular therapy sessions the same as preventive care, where you get a number of free or near free appointments per year.

My childhood family doctor killed himself. His clinic was adjacent to a mental health facility owned by the same hospital. I was no longer a patient when he did it but it was shocking when I heard about it.

My mom is a doctor, and has been under incredibly high workload this past year. I can tell the stress, and associated feelings of inadequacy combined with her history of depression, are starting to wear on her. I'm trying to help her, but it's difficult (not least because I am in a bit of a spiral right now myself). Regardless, thank you very much for producing this video. I hope it's of help to some people.

Could it be just the fact that they are forced to work an amount of hours that is not healthy by any standard?

As a current medical student, I can attest to how difficult it is to admit having issues with depression since everyone is expected to excel in all aspects. Thanks for sharing Aaron. Respect.

As someone who has dealt with depression and anxiety in the past and who is currently on the road to medical school, this episode was two things for me. Firstly, I was honestly surprised by how high some of the statistics Aaron discussed, especially among anesthesiologists. I knew depression was an issue in medicine, but had no idea the substance abuse and suicide levels were so profound in certain specialties. Secondly, this episode is so important not only for currently physicians but for everyone working in healthcare and who is hoping to join the industry some day. I was just accepted to a masters program in medical science and am currently working as a CNA (like I said, I'm on the road headed towards becoming an MD). Even in my current position I catch myself getting anxious and worried after a long day. Did I care enough? Was I doing everything I could? Could I have done something better? These are all questions a nurse or doctor could also worry about. But what makes a difference is that I recognize these thoughts as my anxiety kicking in before I let it take over. I have worked with a therapist for over four years and I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. I go for maintenance now, not necessarily treatment, but I know it helps settle my mind and keep me at my best. Not talking about depression only exacerbates the problem. I'm glad Aaron mentioned how uncomfortable physicians can be discussing it, and how it can affect you professionally because I had no idea, but like him, it won't stop me from being open and honest. It makes me a better version of myself and if it helps even one person down the road, it's worth it.

I'm a nurse battling schizoaffective disorder. Thank you for inspiring me, I sincerely hope you are well x

I'm only in high school, but having a couple of friends in AP classes - friends who are looking to become doctors - it's painful how little this surprises me. Right from the get go, people studying to become doctors are told not to deal with their mental health. The other day one of my friends had an anxiety attack in the hallway because of stress and sleep deprivation. AP tests are on the horizon, and she hadn't slept for more than four hours a night for weeks. All of my friends bury their ails in their work without dealing with it. They think that just getting through will make everything okay, but what happens when the work recedes, and summer comes, and their minds are still out to get them? It scares me to think of them absorbing everyone else's problems. Doctors aren't trained for that kind of mental integrity.

i fight with suicide and depression every day for years .. i hope you can make more videos on this for every one and not just doctors as its hard to find some one how knows what there talking and has been there as well ...

mad respect buddy. keep up the vids :D

I'd personally rather have a doctor who has sought help for their symptoms and grown stronger from it - just like a broken bone grows back stronger - than one who is suffering but has not sought help. How can you help others if you wont help yourself? I will go even further and say that I might perhaps also choose a doctor who has recovered and grown from depression over one who has experienced depressive symptoms. Chances are, that part of them that is 'physical or behavioural' that predisposes them towards depressive symptoms might also play a part in the degree to which they truly care about their patients. Thank you for being so open about your experience on this topic Aaron.

As a medical student with symptoms of (if not yet officially diagnosed) depression, thank you for this video. It's absolutely vital that we know when to seek help, and although I'm lucky in that I have friends who are very comfortable talking about mental health, it still took me far too long to recognise that I had a problem.

Very brave, hope this helps many people.

Brilliant! I am a psychiatrist; my physician patients all have the worry getting treatment will effect their licenses and jobs. Whenever I renew my own license I am asked if I have any mental illness; if I were to check 'yes' they want more information etc. Until the threat of losing one's livelihood is addressed docs are not going to get help.

This is wonderful. This dialogue really needs to be opened more. I'm a veterinarian and so many of us suffer from depression and compassion fatigue that we have one of the highest suicide rates and that needs to change.

Thank you Aaron for sharing so openly and personally about this issue. The efforts like yours to shine a light into these dark recesses of your profession and society will ultimately lead us to healthier people and more satisfied lives in the long run.

A big part of the stigma of depression almost certainly has a lot to do with the fact that those who have never experienced depression think it's just being sad and wonder why the person can't just get over it. While I didn't quite have that view exactly, I have to admit that it was definitely in that direction. Then I quit smoking and learned just how physically painful and emotionally draining depression is. I had heard that there was a physical side to it but never really gave it much thought. For over three weeks, no matter what I did I simply could not control my emotions, my thoughts and the physical pain that accompanied it. What made it worse for me personally (and I imagine many others too) is that I knew what was going on and why I was depressed and not being able to "snap out of it" made things even worse. I kept telling myself it was irrational and that I knew better. It bothered me that it controlled me. I was unable to feel joy in a way that literally hurt me, not just emotionally, but physically. It peaked at about two weeks and looking back I have to say that it pains me that I understand the suicide impulse. You just aren't thinking clearly and you lack control of a vital part of yourself--your emotions. While I didn't contemplate suicide I certainly could see how those living with long-term depression do and actually go through with it. The overwhelming feeling of bleakness is so incredibly powerful that it's hard to believe it exists. The only solution to this is to make therapy mandatory initially and the therapy is separated from anything that can possibly negatively affect their job or school prospects to the point where they are entirely separate entities. If not mandatory, it should exist where doctors can be assured that there is literally a zero percent chance that it'll have negative affect on their ability to train and work. That would solve the problem insofar as it would eventually bring the numbers down to the national average. This, along with medical schools requiring a seminar in when and how to seek treatment and which explains how it can't be a negative for them will solve this problem. Until this happens, it'll stay the same or become worse.

This is the best episode Healthcare Triage has done so far. Keep it up! :D

Wow, this is such an unspoken issue in our field. This is one of the first videos I've ever seen on the topic! Kudos.

I have enjoyed this content and trusted its findings in this well documented format; but I must say I really respect you Aaron for being brave enough to not only trust others with guidance with your depression but your openness to help other current and future sufferers. Thank you for sharing and know that I have gained more respect for your honesty and still trust your judgment. I hope you continue to have a positive impact on many others for many years to come.

Thank you for sharing this with us! I hope I'm not too bold in saying this, but being an emt, I think therapy (especially for medical personnel) should be free & without repercussions for employment. I went to therapy as a child, for my parents divorce, & it changed my life. No one should ever have to suffer alone.

I cant say I have many fears, but a recurrence of depression is very high up on my list of things I am terrified of.

Thanks for sharing and addressing the stigma with depression in medical fields. Hope this catches on and everyone is more open about depression and mental health. We all benefit as a society by being open about it.

Thank you for opening up about your experience with depression. Yes, the attitude towards mental illness in the medical community has to change. Why is there still a stigma against mental illness anyway? I, and I'm sure many of my classmates in my medical program, experienced exactly what you described. We, unfortunately, even lost one of our classmates to suicide during his last internship. I was definitely afraid of telling anyone about my depression when I was going through school and after I graduated. I wish it were okay for medical professionals to speak openly about mental health. That's the first step in making it acceptable for medical professionals to get help, and in turn, be able to provide better care for their patients.

I'm proud of anyone who will talk about their mental illness openly as a way to inform and help others. It helps break down the stigma piece by piece.

Truly feel lives can be saved with this. Sharing this.

Thank you so much for this video, Aaron. There are so many factors that contribute to these feelings - I'm glad that you were able to seek help and that you had a support system. Working within fields (social work here) where we put the well-being of others ahead of our own and often watch people suffer, it is so very important to tend to self-care.

Kudos to you Aaron, God bless you for discussing an ever present unspoken out of fear phenomena with medical school and resident training.

Thank you for making this video. Someone very close to me became extremely depressed during the last year of medical school and into residency. They abused alcohol to sleep and to forget their problems. Thankfully, we were able to get them the help they needed, but even a decade later, the person still struggles with it from time to time. This is a huge problem, and it obviously doesn't have one clear cause. If we can really start a dialogue about it, then I think more research will be done, and we could save lives.

Thank you for being so open and honest about your lived experiences. I'm sorry you had to go through that at such a pivotal time in your life. I am glad you are here. I see people in the comments and in this broader discussion who are putting the onus on themselves. I just really want to emphasize the point that this is a systemic problem. It is not on you. It is on those licensing boards. We need to rally together to change the way the licensing process is carried out.

I'm a second-year resident and the depression is so severe I can barely even function in normal life. My work is fine, but I find absolutely no joy in anything else. Glad to see I'm not the only one, and that it might not be this way forever.

Thank you so much for putting it out there Dr. Carroll. I am glad you are staying on top of it. I worked for my now father-in law who is an M.D. and we used to talk things out at the end of work each day to support one another. I still keep an eye on him with our family visits though our talks can't be the same due to Hippa and our distance, which is a good thing for me, but we talk and I think it still helps. I think it must be hard on veterinarians too.

This video hit me pretty hard, realizing the suffering of those who are doing their best to try to heal us. But with people like you out there trying their best to change the industry, the message brings me a sense of hope. Having suffered from major depression for a long, long 5 year period and knowing the pain and internal torment that comes along with it, if there is any way I can contribute to changing that in the medical industry I would like to.

I'm so grateful for the time and effort put in by my doctors and specialists. My GP especially, who's been with me for several years, and I always thank her for everything she's done to help me over the years, so she knows how much her work is valued. Depression is balls, and I'm so glad you could talk openly about it. Thanks!

Thank you for making this video about an issue that I didn't even know existed, but carries such weight and importance. I go to a university with a top tier medical school where a good half of my peers are Pre-Med. It's scary that I haven't seen this talked about more. I am in awe that you were able to talk so openly. Thank you.

Respect for being so transparent

I applaud your decision to speak out about this. As one who struggles daily with anxiety and depression, it's scary and horrifying that so many doctors don't feel they're allowed to deal with it. No one should ever feel like they're not allowed to talk about mental health issues. And it's kind of ironic that doctors, of all people, don't feel safe admitting to depression. I hope we can open up the dialogue more for everyone.

Thank you for making this video. The more we all talk about our experiences the more society will progress towards understanding depression as an illness. I was truly amazed at these figures and how stigmatised mental illness continues to be even within the medical profession; the profession I would have thought would have the understanding of the illness.

It is sad that there is still such a stigma in the world today about depression and therapy. I myself have struggled with depression for many years now, and a very deep depression the last couple. Despite that, I only in the last few months started to get treatment for it. I still struggle admitting that I have possibly suicidal thoughts. I like to think I am open to admitting I have depression, but admitting I need help with it is much harder, not to mention how bad the depression is. It's sad to think that those we turn to for medical advice have an even harder time of it. Of all the communities that should support those who struggle with mental illnesses, you would think the medical community would be near the top. I would think that therapy should be a mandatory (without being stigmatized) for such a high stress field Kudos to you for speaking out about this! Thanks for your continued outspokenness about all things health. Keep up the good work!

Thank you for posting this video. Depression is certainly an issue, not only for doctors, but for nurses as well and I am sure for others that work in the medical profession. I am an psychiatric RN that suffers from depression and absolutely feel the same stressors, maybe not the 80 hour work weeks, but the responsibility I have toward the safety of another human being. I would absolutely love it if you would research and do a video on nurses and depression. I find that many of the patients I have in my practice are either doctors, nurses or research scientists. Sadly some of them are no longer with us.

I underwent neurosurgery for brain cancer when I was 15, then radiation therapy for a recurrence when I was 17. Unfortunately, being faced with my own mortality several times in that time frame brought on some depression. This video brings to the attention of the viewer that depression isn't the doctor's, or the patient's fault. Being a doctor's a tough job, and so is being a patient. Take the people who say that they're having mood issues seriously. Offer help, but also, make the person aware of the stigmas that accompany treatment. The meds I was put on temporarily messed up my mood for a while. I felt terribly for a while, when I was on them, but I also had a few high points where my mood was the best it's ever been. I've since been taken off those meds, and haven't needed to return to taking them. Talk therapy definitely helps too. My psych doc was a huge help, and a very smart man. Thank god for people who study the brain, and what makes it work better, or worse, as well as those folks willing to go in, and treat patients. As someone honestly interested in both medicine, as well as science, and what makes a positive impact on a patient's life, thanks for posting this video. It makes a huge difference.

I'm incredibly glad that this is a topic that you're touching on. I'd like to see more in regards to depression and mental illness. If it helps in any way to lessen the taboo surrounding mental illness and spread knowledge regarding it? Even if it only helps one person, it's worth it in this regard. I have so much respect for what you're doing with this channel, and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you.

I'm a psychotherapist who has an interest in helping physicians and surrgeons deal with anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, this is very underreported and i would proffer that most of the general public have no idea this is going on.Thank you for sharing your struggle.

As a patient and chronic overachiever who has suffered recurrent severe MDD on top of ADHD, my heart goes out to these doctors. But I'm hoping that more doctors who have endured this means more professional motivation for improved mental healthcare treatments. Psychiatry and clinical psychology are just not good enough yet. Too many patients are never "cured". Missed diagnoses and misdiagnosis are far, far too prevalent. Medications, despite big leaps forward, are still so often inadequate. Psychotherapies are often full of guesswork. Comorbidities are so common, you have to wonder about the precision of diagnosis in general. It's a mess

Thank you for sharing. I've been struggling for a while in emergency services but using the support networks of friends and family around me has really helped. If it gets worse I'll have to escalate treatment because it's worse than just feeling crummy -- it negatively impacts everyone around you.

This was horrifying, even for someone already somewhat familiar with the statistics. I can't thank you enough for speaking about this; I'm even considering a monthly donation despite still being in 6 figures of student loan debt. I'm a retail RPh and I pay extra for my medication at a competitor because my coworkers gossip and despite HIPAA and disability laws I wouldn't put it past my employer to find a reason to fire me if they knew my medical history. Even without a pic or a last name I'm worried someone will figure out my identity, but I felt compelled to post this anyway because I desperately want the stigma to end.

I've always had a high opinion of doctors and to hear how much they stay silent is saddening. As someone who finds it difficult just to get out of bed somedays, I know how much depression hurts. It makes me feel like I want to find these people and just listen to them. Talking to my family and friend makes it easier to keep moving forward so maybe It'll help them too.

Thanks for answering my question from Healthcare Triage Live a few weeks ago about residency inducing depression! I shared this video with other medical students and physicians.

This video was very eye opening to me. Although I understand how doctors can feel less comfortable confronting the mental health issues that may arise in their life. It does worry me thinking me that doctors are more worried about being punished either professionally or personally than the ability to get help for the issues they are suffering from. Having suffered from depression I understand how difficult it can be for a person in normal standing to seek out help. I can only imagine how awful it must make these individuals feel knowing that because they have their medical careers on the line simply because they suffer from a mental illness. It is unfair to put so much pressure on the people who take care of us and not allow them to have some way to get the same support that they give us. It is very believable that there is such an increase in suicide rates in the medical profession but it is heart breaking. Just because these doctors have the access to drugs does not mean that they should feel the need to self-medicate. They should feel comfortable enough to ask for help from another medical professional instead of feeling like that is their one and only option. Therapy can be helpful for anyone and I truly believe that everyone in the healthcare field should attend therapy sessions even if it is just to gain some skills to manage anxiety, should they find themselves feeling it. Depression in the medical field is not just an issues because of the incredibly high suicide rates but also because of the found substance abuse. I do not think it is right on any standards that the board can ask questions about a person’s mental health because then these up and coming physicians or healthcare aids would chose rather to hide the illnesses that they are feeling instead of getting the treatment that they need because they feel like they could suffer a major professional setback. There has to be a way that we can help those who help us more than we are right now.

Such an important episode. Thank you so much for addressing this.

Happens with nurses too; I know alot of nurses afraid to see someone for any mental illness from depression or anxiety to schizophrenia. It's hard to get help when there is such a stigma and fear of keeping their jobs.

It seems hard being a doctor emotionally, not only do you have to deal with stress from your own life, you're caring about your patient's lives too. ;-;, my medical teacher told me as a nurse she has witnessed babies dying after birth, and that sounds painful, even if it isn't your child. However, she's glad to be a nurse, she still likes her job even with all that...

Thank you for bravely sharing your story! Much respect to you!

My grandpa was a doctor and barely any of the colleagues he worked with in his age group are doing well. Most of them are depressed and abusing, despite having relatively successful careers...

This was an excellent video. Thank you for speaking out about mental illness.

Firstly, I would like you very much Aaron for talking about this. As a student who has suffered depression I can barely relate and I say " barely" because I am only an occupational therapy student so I cannot imagine what a medical student and a resident are going through. honestly, I was not surprised at all of the number of residents who commit or think of committing suicide. do not get me wrong, it is sad, very sad that it actually leads to that, but as I said; I am an occupational therapy student and I am stressed almost all the time. plus, what do you expect from a resident who works 80 hours a week, under pressure. I mean, I understand that it is a way to make sure they are able to do the job but they should make their hours shorter and their residency longer, most residence would probably will not agree with this, but for the sanity of the future physicians and the safety of their patients they should. but that is not out topic. but it shocking on how many residents and physicians turn to alcohol and drugs since they do have access to drugs, but shouldn't there be an inventory count or maybe a drug check out? I know that pharmacist have easy access to that but what about the rest? they all know pharmacist who would provide them with drugs? I did love what you said at the end, and I quote "Suicide is a tragedy, a physician committing suicide is a travesty.” it is truly sad.

Another brilliant and informative vid. Thank you for being so brave and open!

Thanks so much for adressing this issue!

Sadly, it's not surprising. I wonder how many Doctors get into medicine just because they want to help people and then find out it's an endless labyrinth of rules forced upon them by "higher-ups" (even when they are detrimental to the patients' health), watch money bleed from their patients into everyone's pockets (except, seemingly, their own), and live under laws that probably aren't clear to anyone. Add to that the terrible hours, the long stretches of repetitiveness punctuated by the odd medical "zebra" here and there that, perhaps, deep down inside, they regret treating as a horse (though, speaking as a frequent medical "zebra", you get used to being mistreated after a while and, as a survival technique, become rather jaded about medicine in general because doctor after doctor after doctor... ...after doctor can't do anything to help, even offer a mere kind word). In short, I think the entire system is terribly broken. Doctors don't have time to be doctors, and NO ONE is good at diagnosing health probems. They put patients through a string of useless, potentially quite damaging tests because they don't know how to ask enough questions first to narrow the choices, and then abandon those patients into an endless cycle of Doctor-Psychologist ping pong (where patients are perpetually referred back and forth across the "medical-psychological barrier" as both sides find no cause for the obvious illness afflicting the patient). Having to be a player in this game of "ping pong", having to be one of the people upon whose shoulders rests responcibility for the sea of suffering that "ping pong" game causes to others, having to watch patients I couldn't help and didn't even understand why they were sick slowly degenerate would be very difficult. I do not envy Doctors their station in life, even while wishing they had a touch more compassion while playing "ping pong". I don't think any of the doctors I've dealt with, even the most rude and unkind ones, set out to start their day hurting someone in a way that, whether physically or emotionally... or more likely both, will last them the rest of their lives. Living with that knowledge would be difficult. The fact that I suffer pain every single day caused by Doctors' attempts (however unfruitful) to help me nearly two decades ago doesn't mean I can't show them more compassion than they ever bothered to show me.

We lack a proper support structure. I’m a depressed MD with light substance abuse issues. The former will put me on the radar for a review board and the latter could cost me my license… In Denmark where I live psychologists have a duty to report problematic behavior and because of this, I cannot get help. Apart from my own help, but that’s severely hampered by 70 hour work weeks without proper rest or time to heal. We’re expected to be smart scientists and Teflon-like heroes, so anything short of that feels like a failure. Even if you’ve never made a mistake… And yesterday I got a colleague complaint for being ‘distant’… nurses just pile more flaming shit on the burning dumpster fire that is an average MD’s mental health. In 3 years of practicing medicine I’ve had 3 young colleagues kill themselves. The system is broken unless you’re a psychopath.

Also, why is our medical system making our doctors sick?! This drives me nuts.

This video was very surprising to me as someone who is pursing Medical school. Currently as a Pre-Med undergraduate student, I am focused on the grades to get into medical school and not the effects that medical school can have on a person. It is not a secret that medical school involves long hours of studying, tons of stress, and very little sleep. But the facts in this video about the amount of residents who show symptoms of depression were very shocking to me. The amount of doctors that have symptoms but do not get medically diagnosed because they are afraid it will affect their professional career is too high. Doctors are humans too, and should not be subjected to not getting the treatment they deserve. Knowing the facts about depression in this field does not effect the that I want to pursue this career. I am choosing to have a career that is focused on beneficence, which is the moral duty to benefit others. As the video states, Doctors have to continuously care for others but are unable to get the care they need because of negative affects surrounding the stigma of doctors who are depressed. Without this care doctors and patients are at great risks because instead of getting the treatment they deserve doctors are turning to harmful addictions that can have seriously negative effects on them and every patient they treat. Along with the addiction rate among physicians, the suicide rate is also way too high, the health care field has become to business-like and less health care oriented. Doctors are sometimes more worried about their business than their own health. While I do believe running a business is another task doctors must take on, their health should be considered more important. I believe all doctors should be able to get the care they need without the fear of ruining, or at the least impacting, their professional career.

Awesome video! Thanks so much for sharing! Much appreciated

I would be interested to hear your opinion on general mental health check ups, much like how every 6-12 months we get dental checks or eyes every 2, should we get mental check ups at a certain rate. I think not only could it act as a preventative but also decrease stigma as it became more normal.

A lack of self knowledge and the arrogance that one is in complete control is a default failure of all human beings.

I'm curious to learn more about Nursing and Depression statistics as well as its effects on patient mortality/safety

Wow. I am honestly shocked at how high some of the statistics were mentioned in this video. It’s very sad that so many doctors are feeling and experiencing this. I can imagine though that with all the hours they have to work, having people’s lives on their hands and watching some of their patients not make it can have a huge impact on them. I think this issue needs to be brought to attention more so that doctors can feel that they can be more open about it and people can help those who need it and people can be more aware of this issue. Considering that my major is nursing, I am curious to what the statistics for nurses and depression is.

The only time I got depression was caused by struggling to cope in a new job, I suspect it's the same for trainee doctors.

Depression among workers in the medical field is an important obstacle that needs to be defeated. I am pursuing nursing school and I am currently a CNA, and both of those can be stressful. There are points in time when I wonder if it’s all going to be worth it in the end. Not being able to see my patients because of the overload in school can be sad because they depend on me when I am normally scheduled. I did research on burnout in palliative care nurses and depression in medical staff is more common than one would think. One of the risks of seeking help for depressed physicians would be taking a step back from their job and not working. For some doctors, working is their life and could be the only thing keeping them going during this depressing stage in their life. Without knowing it at that point, they may be experiencing burnout which could also be a cause of depression. A lot of stress can be put on doctors and even nurses as I have experienced. Knowing that someone is dependent on you makes you feel like you can’t screw up and everything has to be perfect or that patient will lose respect and trust in you. After becoming so close with a patient, the feeling of letting them down can be heartbreaking and that feeling stays with you. Also, with a patient feeling so close to their doctor or nurse and their doctor committing suicide because of depression, can also make the patient depressed and even make the patient feel like it’s their fault. For doctors, physicians, nurses, or anyone in the medical field that may think they are experiencing depression should be allowed some days off and have some time to themselves to get back on the right track. If vacation time doesn’t help, further help is sought after. All medical field workers should feel comfortable with getting help, even if it seems unusual for someone as high up as a doctor to need help.

Thank you for sharing.

Ok I am going to ask again... pregnancy and depression and pregnancy and zoloft. what does the research say about pregnancy and zoloft?

This should be a call to action. There needs to be change so that drs are not punished for getting treatment.

No one talks about mental health!!! Can we not keep this going? Everyone knows someone.

Depression is something that effects everyone and it refreshing that physicians also suffer from this. It is interesting that even know physicians diagnosis patients with depression all the time they do not want to be diagnosed with it themselves. I think it is appalling that state licensing boards can ask physician questions about mental health problems when employers are unable to. I think this needs to be changed as it causes people to think that there is something wrong with having a mental illness. A doctor should not be judged based on a mental health issue such as depression or anxiety. This causes people to self medicate which is not always a good thing. As the video says, doctors have access to drugs and many can get addicted and abuse the substance. I found it disturbing that physicians and residents were having suicidal thoughts but would not report it because they were afraid of being judged. No one should ever have to be afraid to seek help for depression because they will be judged professionally or personally. On top of this being sad it is also scary. People who have depression and anxiety often have impaired judgement. I as I know many others would not want a doctor who has suicidal thoughts not getting taken care of making my medical decisions. This raises the bigger issue of taking down the stigma of mental health everywhere. It needs to become something that is openly talked about and doesn't make you different from suffering from it. I suffer from anxiety and depression in my life and it is something I even like to hide. I think the world needs to become more accepting and stop treating people who suffer from these mental illnesses as crazy and just as normal people. The sooner we stop judging others on this I think the sooner we could see a decline in suicide rates not only among physicians but everywhere.

Thank you

Thank you for this video.

honestly while i know it's not quite the same...as a beginning teacher at a school that did not support or acknowledge the many special needs, with all English language learners and very difficult parents and students and adminstration in rural Qatar...I had a lot of the same feelings! I was also understaffed and overworked and very sleep deprived which just added to these feelings. Like even if I could find a therapist I couldn't imagine even finding the time to drive into Doha to see said therapist. I also didn't have a support network there when I arrived and no really really close friends to catch me. :( I cant imagine seeing kids you grew close to die though, that's one way its very different. :( Teaching is another one of those jobs where admitting to it can really impact your career negatively and because a lot of my friends were coworkers I felt like I couldn't open up about it. Teaching is another one of those jobs too where you can really influence vulnerable sectors by not having it dealt with. I wish that teacher (and physician!) mental health was something taken more seriously, and for those teaching overseas without a spouse or family I think it's doubly important to make sure that things are a-ok!

A resident friend committed suicide years ago... thanks for this.

've known a long time now about the higher rates of depression in physicians, but what about other clinicians? I'd love to hear your thoughts. I'm an NP and I am interested in hearing about other clinicians as well in this regard.

Very professional and brave! Good video!

Great episode

you rock man. thank you for making this video.

Ridiculous hours, dealing with difficult and abusive patients, having to spend a disproportionate amount of time studying, abuse from superiors and a toxic work environment......that's why.

The symptoms and working conditions of interns and residents you described sound like combat conditions, and I've known 3 combat veterans (1 WW2 and 2 VietNam) who suffered for years and ended up taking their own lives. To me, it sounds like depression is a direct result of constant, life and death stress. Any research to support this?

Psh. That's nothing compared to the despair of those of us who see these words year after year: "You have not matched"

My stomach is painful too much in past ,,now too painful

You know how therapists often go to therapy themselves, and some places even require that their employed therapists do so? That should be a thing with doctors as well.

Thanks for sharing

Well done sir. God bless.

Great upload

I feel like you NEED NEED NEED to put in lifeline numbers after a topic like this. in my country whenever the media talks about mental health or suicide they always include that info, spoken by the anchor at the end of the report.

Excellent!

Someone should show this to Jeremy Hunt. Don't know how the stats vary here in the UK but considering what he's trying to do, may be important to consider.

Dr Carroll, will you be discussing 'compassion fatigue' in the medical professions and the need to better prevent/screen for/educate/train/manage against the same?

A few years ago I had a girlfriend who studied to become a doctor (Germany). It took her a very long time to go into therapy because of her depression as she would have to pay far more to get occupational disablement insurance :(

Humans can only with tolerate so much stress from their professional, private and personal lives combined - then to add the stress of caring for the sick, saving the dying, not saving the dying, satisfying the bottom line, the beeps/bells, constant motion and continuing to absorb more information/innovation = they wonder about why we have burn out/depression/anxiety/suicide issues- really? It is time to acknowledge there really are some jobs that are way more demanding than others that need more than just higher salaries (although that would be great!). The environment we work in needs more than words, thank notes and the fancy pens. We need to care for the care givers. We need people (public and coworkers) to accept that we are human too. That we all have the predisposition (to varying levels) of having a mental health crisis. To all my overworked, overwhelmed and underappreciated, healthcare people out there and the police and firefighters too - thank you and care for yourself. Psychiatrists/Psychologists (although some us still roll our eyes at psych = we need to stop that) have to follow HIPAA too = I just hope you have the insurance to get it. If we do not stop judging people for neurobiological issues (even if they are induced by the enviroment/profession), we can not be annoyed with the public when do not support mental health reform/issues.

Could you make more videos about mental health pleeeaase? Emotional health is also included in the full health spectrum.

I would be interested to know what solutions you think would improve the situation. Would it be as simple as decreasing work hours? That would require many more physicians. What about getting rid of the pressure of accreditation? Accreditation seems to protect the patient more than the physician. If there wasn't pressure to satisfy an accreditation board, then physicians would be more free to medicate themselves as needed. Would it be worth it? Has there been any studies regarding improvements to the industry with and without accreditation boards?

wow. thanks for sharing!