Physicians and their Higher Rates for Suicidal Risk

Posted on August 30, 2023 by Simon Mittal, MD, MMM

Updated September 8, 2023

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has stark commentary regarding the medical profession and suicide.

“Physicians have higher rates of burnout, depressive symptoms, and suicide risk than the general population,” the organization notes. “Physicians and trainees can experience high degrees of mental health distress and are less likely than other members of the public to seek mental health treatment.”

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Sobering Numbers

Statistics bear out these sobering observations: 

These painful numbers point to the fact that your healthcare organization is likely to experience suicidality—suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts and/or deaths by suicide may be realities in your workplace. How will you respond, in the short term and in the long term? How will you work toward addressing, heading off and recovering from suicide?

Read my article A Healthcare Organization's Actions and Postvention Steps for Physician's Death by Suicide to learn more.

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