Suicidal MDs (http://www.newsweek.com/id/132887)


I've met a lot of doctors over the years. I've interviewed them, watched them operate, observed them with patients and just plain hung out with them. Some were friendly, others cranky. Some were arrogant, others humble and selfless. As a group, they have impressed me with their confidence, intelligence and dedication to helping people in need. From the outside, the doctor's life seems a rich and rewarding one. And surely it is. But a new documentary, "Struggling in Silence" (airing next month on public-television stations), explores a dark side of the profession—the little-known and rarely discussed problem of depression and suicide among physicians. The unsettling truth is that doctors have the highest rate of suicide of any profession. Every year, between 300 and 400 physicians take their own lives—roughly one a day. And, in sharp contrast to the general population, where male suicides outnumber female suicides four to one, the suicide rate among male and female doctors is the same.

:mad:

I think any job where you're constantly reminded of your mortality on a daily basis would be rough.

I've always heard DENTISTS have the highest suicide rates of any profession.

And it might scare the hell outta you to know when I worked for the Pension & Group Ins dept at American Airlines, one study showed suicide to be the #1 cause of death among airline pilots during the time period being reviewed! The 2nd leading cause of death was airplane crashes... in private planes, not commercial jets. The 3rd was alcoholism. (Makes you really wanna go for one of those superfares, doesn't it?)

Now I can understand doctors (high stress/high mortality) and even airline pilots... but WTF is it with dentists???

I think any job where you're constantly reminded of your mortality on a daily basis would be rough.


Not to mention long hours and little sleep.

Now I can understand doctors (high stress/high mortality) and even airline pilots... but WTF is it with dentists???

Are you kidding? Can you imagine having to wake up every day and go crawling around in peoples' nasty mouths? You've heard of periodontal disease, right?








Click here (http://www.mamagums.com/images/cardio1PerioLoesche.gif) only if you have a very strong stomach.

No, really. I mean it. NASTY.

Are you kidding? Can you imagine having to wake up every day and go crawling around in peoples' nasty mouths? You've heard of periodontal disease, right?








Click here (http://www.mamagums.com/images/cardio1PerioLoesche.gif) only if you have a very strong stomach.

No, really. I mean it. NASTY.

For once, Frannie... I believe I'll take your word for it.

But then again, it's not like they don't KNOW what they're in for when they choose that profession. I mean, look at proctologists.

On second thought, let's don't.

;)
SMW

One of my sons is a dentist and one is a cardiologist. They are two of the happiest people I know.

Certainly, a doctor's job could get very depressing after a while. But I think there's another factor: long hours.

I know that doctors here in Australia (particularly the young ones, still "earning their stripes") work incredibly long hours. I suspect that it's the same in the USA and other western countries.

Maybe exhaustion plus the other stresses explains the high rate of suicides?

Substance abuse may also be a factor.