- Dr. Edward Ellison says U.S. doctors are “stressed to the point of breaking” because of rigorous work schedules and pressure.
- It’s estimated that a doctor dies by suicide every day in the United States, Ellison says.
- Physicians are often subjected to long work hours, which can lead to burnout and mental illness, he says.
The rigorous work schedule and pressure faced by U.S. doctors have them “stressed to the point of breaking” and struggling with the highest suicide rates among any profession in the U.S., Dr. Edward Ellison, executive medical director and chairman at the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, said Tuesday at CNBC’s Healthy Returns conference in New York.
Studies estimate that a doctor dies by suicide every day in the United States, Ellison said. He said the health-care industry needs programs for physicians that teach self-care and provide emotional and spiritual support. He added that the medical profession needs to become more efficient for physicians, too.
“We need to shift our thinking and evolve our culture inside the medical profession and in society,” Ellison said. “Doctors tend to be people who never give up until they do,” he said.
Ellison cited data that says 44% of physicians display signs of “burnout,” which is physical and emotional exhaustion that can lead to insomnia, lack of appetite and other mental health issues. He said the main reason health-care professionals begin to feel burnt out is they are often subjected to rigorous work schedules and forget about taking care of themselves.
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Welcome to the “next chapter” of my life… being a voice and an advocate for #mentalhealthawarenessandsuicideprevention, especially pertaining to our younger generation of students and student-athletes.
Getting men to speak up and reach out for help and assistance is one of my passions. Us men need to not suffer in silence or drown our sorrows in alcohol, hang out at bars and strip joints, or get involved with drug use.
Having gone through a recent bout of #depression and #suicidalthoughts myself, I realize now, that I can make a huge difference in the lives of so many by sharing my story, and by sharing various resources I come across as I work in this space. #http://bit.ly/JamesMentalHealthArticle
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Unaddressed mental conditions driven by workload, work inefficiency, lack of meaning in work and work-home problems are a main contributor to the high physician suicide rate, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Ellison said that though there have been major positive developments in the health-care industry, the improvements have had somewhat of a negative impact on doctors’ schedules.
“At the same time, it’s just created such an extraordinarily structured, regulated environment in which many, many tasks that used to be done by other members of the health care team fall to physicians,” Ellison said. He added this leads to doctors working more hours but spending less time with patients.
Physician suicides are an “enormous problem” for the health-care industry, with doctors being much more likely to kill themselves than the general population. The suicide rate for male physicians is 1.41 times higher than the general male population and for female physicians is 2.27 times higher than the general female population.
Suicide rates aren’t high only among practicing doctors. Suicide is the second-leading cause of death for medical students. Medical students are three times more likely than their peers to kill themselves, according to the American Medical Student Association.
#Suicide is typically caused by untreated or improperly treated #depression or #mentalillness. Depression in the medical profession affects about 12% of men and 19.5% of women, and about 15% to 30% of all medical students have displayed symptoms of depression, studies show. One study said 23% of medical interns had suicidal thoughts, though that figure dropped by nearly half after they took a cognitive behavior therapy course.
That’s why, Ellison said, fundamental changes are needed in the medical system, in both education and the profession, to reduce the #stigma for seeking help and heighten #mentalhealthawareness.
Patients can also help doctors with small gestures, Ellison said.
“So the next time you see your doctor, look her or him in the eye and say, ‘Thank you,’” Ellison said. “We need them, but they need us.”
James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.
James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.
In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.
He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.
James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!
For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:
www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
JamesD@StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)
James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.
If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at jamesd@yourgiftoflife.org and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org
