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September 6, 2009
When Healers Need Healing
In the last 30 years, ‘burnout’ has turned from a vernacular idiom into a prevalent psychosocial syndrome—one that’s particularly relevant in current times as the economic recession impacts on lifestyles. Surveys reveal that job cuts and the threat of redundancy are affecting work/life balance. Many people are working longer hours and seriously worrying about their job security.
Professional burnout has many characteristics, not least of which include emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and a loss of interest in one’s work or personal life—the feeling of “just going through the motions”. Burnout cuts a broad swathe across professions, but is especially prevalent where occupational stressors—such as heavy workload and constant pressure—are accompanied by other job demands that lead a person to perceive a lack of control in their life.
It’s little surprise, then, that medical professionals are particularly prone to burnout, especially so given the current health crisis. When physicians are surveyed, up to 40 percent of them report feelings of stress and burnout, while a concerning 70 percent report feeling pessimistic about the future of the health care system (Gundersen 2001).
Burnout can be especially dangerous in medicine because it carries potential consequences for patients. Some studies suggest that burned out physicians have more trouble relating to patients, and the quality of the care they provide may suffer—let alone that an increasing number of doctors contemplate early retirement and alternative professions.
Due to fear of recrimination (licensure issues, shame and guilt, and social stigmatization), physicians often avoid or postpone mental health treatment, or attempt to treat themselves secretly. As a case in point, about a third of physicians do not have their own doctor. A concerning pattern occurs where medical professionals often delay seeking help until they hit rock bottom.
The good news is that there’s a growing movement that recognizes the importance of physician health—not only for the benefit of members of the medical profession, but for the wider good of the community. Wellness strategies include methods of recharging one’s physical and mental capacity, emotional self-awareness, connecting with social support systems, and seeking help before stress begins affecting work performance. Research demonstrates greatly reduced burnout rates and improved job satisfaction in physicians who practice these coping strategies (Spickard et al 2002).
As a fellow medical professional, I understand the pressures that make physicians reluctant to seek care, which is why my practice is designed to protect the professional sensitivities of my patients. At my office, for example, there are two separated waiting rooms. Patients enter and exit from different doors, and discrete parking is provided at the rear of the building. Privacy is a very valid concern for medical professionals seeking mental health support, but it should not be an insurmountable obstacle. We must remind ourselves that ‘doing no harm’ begins with our own well-being first.
Robin Stone, M.D.
Insight Psychiatry
13123 Rosedale Hill Ave.
Huntersville, NC 28078
704-948-3810
References & further reading:
Gundersen, L. 2001 ‘Physician burnout’, Annals of Internal Medicine, vol. 135, no.2, pp. 145-148.
Spickard, A., Gabbe S., Christensen, J. 2002 , ‘Mid-career burnout in generalist and specialist physicians’, Journal of the American Medical Association, vol. 288. no. 12.
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