I'm a doctor & I take meds for my mental health | Jake Goodman | TEDxUofIChicago 

Giving this speech was a dream. Honored beyond belief for this opportunity. I am part of a new generation of doctors, nurses, and healthcare students and professionals that are NOT afraid to be vulnerable and discuss mental health. I’m a doctor who treats mental illness, and I go to therapy and I take medications for my mental health. And I’m proud of it ❤️ *Medications are not for everyone. But they can be a powerful tool in combination with therapy and other self care techniques to improve mental health issues.

I work in the mental health field, and it is absolutely refreshing to see this video from a man, and a doctor, who struggles with mental health symptoms. We don't discuss men's mental health enough. Thank you for posting this. Thank you so much, from one mental health advocate to another!

What a strong and honest guy... We need people like him definitely

If you have Diabetes ..you take meds..if you have COPD..you take meds..if you have hypertension..you take meds..if you have anxiety..guess what..you Can Take meds!!! Im tired of people treating mental illness like its not a real disease!!

Courage is not the absence of fear in a stressful situation -Well said Dr. Jake 👍👍👍

Probably the most valuable video on You Tube. Good job, Dr. Goodman. Well earned.

Amazing talk. Thank you. Sometimes, I feel weak for having to take medication for my anxiety after a 12 year opiate addiction. Society makes it really rough on some of us.

Good morning Dr. This is the most moving speech from a doctor that I have ever heard. I applaud you from the bottom of my heart. I wish you all the best 50 years from now bc I have to be fair, You have to retire and enjoy the fruit of your struggle. Thank you so much and be blessed to continue on

Thank you sharing your story. The world needs more doctors like you. You bring humanity, compassion and non-judgement to the mental health space. 😁

Thank you for your bravery and advocacy ! You are correct. The stigma is horrible .

Excellent and extremely valuable talk- I applaud your wisdom and courage in speaking up. You will save lives by encouraging folks to "swallow their pride", no matter their line of work or station in life, and ASK FOR HELP. Many precious lives have been lost to suicide because people were ashamed, humiliated, felt they "had to be perfect" in order to be worthwhile or matter at all. We are all worthwhile. Doctors especially are pushed to achieve and "be perfect" all their lives. No one is perfect. If you need help, ask for it and keep asking for it, everywhere you find, until you get the answers that work for you.

What a fantastic video. I have been a carer for a family member with mental health issues for 36 years and stigma is still a big problem. Doctors like you will go a long way to breaking down this stigma and help to make good mental health care more widely available. Just discovered your channel you have made me a long time fan. Thank you from Australia mate. We need more Doctor Jakes in this world.

thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! you are amazing!!!!! we need people like you in this world! you are a true MAN

Thank You for being the change

Thank you so much for your courage

I wanted to commend Dr. Goodman on opening about his struggles and being so candid about his experience and journey with mental health and medicine. As an aspiring physician myself, I wholeheartedly agree that the conversation revolving around the physician mental health space needs to be deepened and discussed further. While I understand this pressure, and almost unspoken rule, to be in “perfect” state in order to take care of other people however, I have seen too often that doctors are the worst patients, and this is something we are often told even in our medical school courses and clinical rotations by our attendings. I have noticed, even with my own experience as being a patient, that humans tend to relate more when they feel a connection to their physician and feel the person who is treating them is genuine. This is not to say that one MUST disclose personal information to gauge a good report with patients because a good clinician can make connections with their patients in much simpler manners. However, I think most patients are thankful for the transparency and this makes humans trust the person who is meant to be taking care of them. When we apply for medical school, and even further down the road when we get to residency applications, there is no requirement anywhere stating that you cannot have any struggles. To struggle with anything is to be uniquely human and the beauty in medicine is that we are humans taking care of other humans, so why would we not want to take care of ourselves. Of course, if a patient does not feel comfortable seeking treatment from a physician who has made it openly known they take medication, that is entirely up to them, but I do not see this as being a common issue that would occur. If a clinician had to take medication for hypertension, they most likely would not lose patients. If anything, the clinician could use that to really solidify they know what this patient is struggling with because they too suffer from the same thing. I think it is important to normalize mental health because it allows for everyone to feel they are in a safer space, both the clinician and the patient.

We need more doctors and other health care providers that can empathize with people who struggle with mental health. There are many I have seen that are arrogant or just don't care. I respect and appreciate someone who can say they understand, want to help, and mean it.

May god bless and you thank you for sharing your story with us 🙏❤️

honesty is gold

I'm so glad you talked about this topic, there is a lot of stigma about mental health and medication. We need to normalize this type of conversation, let people know they are not alone, there are millions of people going through a difficult time battling with their brains.

Thank you!

I applaud you doctor for sharing your story. I had gotten an opportunity to share my story from a former psychiatrist who treated me in my 20s. He gave me a chance to share my story, and a three hundred dollar check back in 2020. I am getting driving lessons and my goal is to buy a used car for my own personal use to get around. I reside in New Jersey.

Hey Jake, I'm Francesca, Psychotherapist, Grief Counselor and Professor based in Mexico City. So happy to listen to you, it's so important -and brave!- to share out own mental health stories, in order to open doors and other stories. I'll share your talk to my 1st year Med Students :)

You saved lives by doing this.

You are a great doctor

Love this

My behavioral psychologist is the one who pushed me into studying medicine. Go figure.

The nature of the medical profession presents physicians with unique mental health challenges. Being a doctor can be incredibly rewarding, but it can also be incredibly stressful and demanding, and as a result the rates of burnout, depression and suicide are higher than nearly every other profession. Of note is the emotional toll of caring for patients, long hours and intense workload, and the pressure to maintain a high level of performance and productivity. One of the primary solutions to address the mental health challenges physicians face is to increase awareness and understanding of the issue. Medical schools and residency programs can provide education and training on stress management, mindfulness, and coping strategies. This can help physicians develop the skills they need to manage their stress and maintain their mental health throughout their careers. Prioritization of work-life balance is another potential solution that has gained significant popularity and general acceptance in recent years. Employers should encourage physicians to take time off and provide support for self-care activities such as exercise and therapy. Additionally, physicians can benefit from a strong support network, including colleagues, mentors, and family members. Another possible solution is to increase access to mental health services for physicians. Many physicians may hesitate to seek treatment for mental health concerns due to stigma or concerns about the impact on their careers. Providing confidential and easily accessible mental health services can help physicians get the support they need without fear of judgment or negative consequences. Finally, it is important to address the systemic issues that contribute to the mental health challenges of physicians. This includes addressing the root causes of burnout, such as excessive workload, administrative burden, and a lack of autonomy in decision-making. Healthcare organizations can work to implement policies and practices that prioritize the well-being of physicians, including the streamlining of administrative tasks to decrease the time spent charting and billing and increase time spent with patients. Also, improving work conditions and environments, and promoting a culture of wellness and support.

It’s sad Doctors stigmatize mental health needs: way to go on speaking up. Oh yeah- Ty for mentioning the trembling too. It feels terrible 😞

Meds destroyed me

🔥

❤❤❤❤❤ more power to you

❤❤❤❤❤❤

Hi ! I am taking Amitriptyline for 5.5.month and not helping with depression . Like 2 years this medication , but now not working . The doctor want to put me on Nortryptyline . What do you think about this med .

Yes really it takes courage to do this, but doc I got one question 🙋 plz, what did you do for your shallow breathing though coz I been struggling with it 5 years now, Lexapro is not doing big difference and how long your meds took to kick in?

I am curious as to what med worked for you. So many out there

Hi jake i want to be a doctor so bad and you give me so much motivation

By someone saying to you stop blowing up this phone, isn't that the same as the person not wanting to hear from you or receive texts from you? Or am I in the wrong?

At 5:15 he's in a job interview selling them on why his work experience at Uber is relevant. Jokes though - great vid! Love the openness.

I am not afraid

I get so tired of the media telling me I should wean myself off my low 10 mg of citalopram per day. That small dosage of antidepressant makes the difference between me being a happy, productive person, and one who sits in my chair and stairs at the wall. I'm 66 now--so what if my small dosage of antidepressants give me health issues when I'm old. Right now the quality of life is far more important to me that what might kill me in my 80's or 90's.

Please post more of my child. I want to meet her. Its not fair what Elvis and this shiw have done to me. Id like to see my baby.

If you are asked a question and you say I don't know and the person repeatedly asks you, until you get angry and have to say I don't know, I am not the person to blame am I? My dad feels I am a angry and bad responder, after I have told him, I don't know what the image is you are showing me, then to say that I am rude, how can I be rude by just saying you asked me several times I said I don't know. It's how my Dad likes to hurt my feelings and affect my mood.

I'm confused because of blurring boundaries. When I think of Mental Health I think Mental Illness: depression, psychosis, schizophrenia, personality disorders. Much of what appears in media including your output seems to me to be Mental Wellbeing. Managing the effects of stress, low levels of anxiety, adopting an holistic well being to enhance self esteem. Is Psychiatry moving into Mental Wellbeing?

Thank you u made me confident and ok to know take meds i was scare but i know if my life is rock bottom why not try meds i am 2 day of escilataprom 5mg❤

Hi sir...I had anxiety and panic disorder...I took clonazepam, can I breastfeed my baby plz???

Pharma companies in his pocket

Wonder which ssri he’s on

Are you on disability? Do doctors and medical students on disability or taking mental health meds have to disclose to their medical school or licensing board that they are taking medicine and therapy but am functional.

"Doctors don't have anxiety" is sadly ironic

Good. u r brave to say ... Psychiatric drugs help in severe conditions ....but new datas SSRI SNRI or atypical antidepressant ,TCAs antipsychotics or short term benzodiazepine use or mood stabilisers have their own withdrawal ..I rather prefer to prevent mental illness than prescribing...use cognitive behaviour therapy....I am a neurologist and working in neuroscience....I see a pattern once prescribed this medication; generally come back with depression...due to possible down regulation of receptors or mechanism not known ...lots of safety data needed in pharma driven psychiatry drugs which has replaced CBT and other coping therapy..before taking any drug ..go history of drugs and possible long term side effects. Our Brain is wetwire ...thats right that doctors have lot stress ..I have done work for 72 hrs without sleep....but anxiety and depression is natural human response ...once u withdraw drugs ..all will come back ...so develop coping strategies in life.

I wish I could go back in time and not take antidepressants. They are proven to be detrimental long term.

GET OFF NOW before it’s too late…..

If he were concerned, he could have worn a mask to do the vid

Next we’ll be watching a Ted talk about an obese man who’s a successful health coach 😅

This is a silly doctor

That is absolutely nonsense that doctor proud to live on medications instead of heal himself! Why he allowed to practice if he can't solve his own Mental issues?