Doctors dedicate their lives to healing others, often working under immense pressure and facing emotionally draining situations daily. They witness human suffering firsthand, from excruciating pain to traumatic injuries and deliver devastating news to families. Yet, behind the white coats and stethoscopes, doctors are individuals susceptible to the same mental health challenges as anyone else, and often, even more so. This reality highlights a critical need for doctors to prioritize their own mental well-being and seek support from Mental Health Doctors when necessary.
Studies reveal alarming rates of mental health struggles within the medical profession. A meta-analysis indicated that approximately 29% of medical residents experience depression, significantly higher than the 8% rate among the general population. Tragically, physicians are also twice as likely to die by suicide compared to the general population. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated this crisis, with a staggering 87% of emergency physicians reporting increased stress levels in 2020. However, nearly half of them (45%) admitted feeling uncomfortable seeking help, highlighting a deep-seated stigma within the medical community.
Several factors contribute to this reluctance to seek help. Doctors often fear professional repercussions, such as licensing issues or lost career opportunities. The pervasive culture within medicine often equates vulnerability with weakness, making it difficult for doctors to admit they are struggling and need to consult with a mental health doctor.
However, experts emphasize that seeking mental healthcare is not a sign of weakness but rather an act of strength and professional responsibility. Addressing their own mental health actually makes doctors better caregivers, enhancing their compassion and ability to provide high-quality patient care. Furthermore, open conversations about mental health struggles are crucial to dismantling stigma and encouraging help-seeking behavior within the medical field. Connecting with a mental health doctor can be a life-saving step.
Dr. Darrell Kirch, president emeritus of the AAMC and co-chair of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience, aptly states, “Stigma can cost lives, and sharing our personal struggles can help save them.”
To shed light on this critical issue, AAMCNews interviewed four physicians who bravely shared their personal journeys with mental health challenges. Their stories encompass experiences with depression, sexual abuse, substance use, and suicidal thoughts. Crucially, they also narrate paths to healing, resilience, and a renewed commitment to serving their patients with empathy and excellence. These stories underscore the importance of doctors, who dedicate themselves to the health of others, also prioritizing their own mental health and seeking the guidance of a mental health doctor when needed.
Childhood Trauma and the Burden of Silence
AAMC President Emeritus Darrell Kirch, MD, enjoying nature.
Dr. Darrell Kirch’s journey began with a traumatic event at the young age of 20. Working on a surveying crew in the Rocky Mountains, he witnessed a devastating plane crash. A survivor emerged, severely injured, and Kirch and his crewmates rushed to help. Despite their efforts, 31 lives were lost. Kirch, who later became a psychiatrist and a prominent leader in academic medicine, reflects that in today’s environment, psychological debriefing would be standard protocol after such a horrific event. However, in 1970s, he simply returned to work the following Monday, carrying the trauma unaddressed.
This plane crash was not the only trauma Kirch endured in his early life. He also experienced sexual abuse as a child, a deeply personal revelation he shares with considerable discomfort, hoping it will encourage others to seek help from a mental health doctor. He believes that this abuse, combined with genetic predispositions, contributed to his mental health struggles. He channeled his energy into academic achievement, finding purpose in helping others, and was accepted to medical school in 1973.
However, medical school presented a new challenge. During anatomy class, working with cadavers that evoked memories of the plane crash victims, Kirch experienced debilitating anxiety, including heart palpitations and hyperventilation. “I felt like I would die,” he recalls. Initially, he sought to drop out, but a dean urged him to seek psychiatric care instead. Desperate, Kirch agreed and began seeing a mental health doctor.
“I began to feel like I had to be more forthcoming. I felt that revealing personal stories was the only antidote to stigma.”
This treatment proved transformative, enabling him to pursue a distinguished career, including deanships at two medical schools and his leadership role with the NAM. “Medications and trauma-focused psychotherapy help me to this day,” he shares. For most of his career, Kirch remained silent about his mental health journey. However, his involvement with the NAM’s Action Collaborative compelled him to speak out. He realized that sharing his story was essential to combat stigma and encourage others to seek help from a mental health doctor. He now regrets not having been more open sooner, especially considering learner suicides during his time as a dean. Despite this regret, he is grateful for the opportunity to make a difference now. The positive feedback he receives, particularly from learners who feel encouraged to seek help and pursue their careers, is deeply meaningful. His openness demonstrates the powerful impact of leadership in destigmatizing mental health within medicine and the importance of connecting with a mental health doctor.
A Surgeon’s Courageous Step Forward
Dr. Carrie Cunningham before her AAS conference speech.
“This is terrifying.” These were Dr. Carrie Cunningham’s opening words to 2,000 colleagues in February 2023. As outgoing president of the Association for Academic Surgery (AAS), she chose to conclude her presidency by disclosing her decades-long battle with depression and anxiety, and her recent diagnosis of substance use disorder. Dr. Cunningham, an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, acknowledged the potential professional repercussions of her transparency. “I know that giving this address today will change my career path,” she admitted, anticipating judgment and perceived weakness. However, her vulnerability stemmed from a powerful purpose: “If I can prevent one of you … from dying by suicide or suffering alone, it will be worth it.”
Dr. Cunningham, 50, had always been driven and high-achieving. A former world-class tennis player, she competed at Wimbledon five times as a teenager. However, at 17, she experienced the onset of depression, a recurring struggle throughout her life, including the demanding years of residency. She persevered, believing in her own resilience. “I’m one of the toughest people I know, so I figured I could handle this.” However, the suicide of a close surgical resident in 2012 forced her to confront her own need for help. Antidepressants provided significant relief, lifting “a huge weight.”
The medication remained effective until her marriage ended in 2021. Following her divorce, she experienced a year-long depressive spiral.
“I know that … there will be people who see me as weak, emotional, and damaged.”
She began drinking more heavily. An incident at a colleague’s party, where she was visibly intoxicated, prompted friends to intervene and approach her boss. Initially “livid,” Dr. Cunningham now recognizes this intervention as the catalyst for her healing journey. With support from her department leadership at Mass General Hospital, she connected with her state’s physician health program (PHP), which offers confidential mental health resources for medical professionals. In-depth psychiatric testing led to a stark assessment: “The assessment team is of the opinion that Dr. Lubitz is currently not fit to practice medicine.” Dr. Cunningham voluntarily entered three months of intensive treatment. She continues to participate in daily breathalyzer tests and attends therapy and support groups weekly. Seeking help did not jeopardize her medical license, and after PHP clearance, she returned to practice. “I’m the best I’ve ever been in my life, and I’m grateful to my friends for helping me get treatment,” she affirms. Dr. Cunningham emphasizes the crucial lesson that “self-care is a professional responsibility” and urges her colleagues to “help each other” in prioritizing mental well-being and seeking support from mental health doctors.
Stepping Back from the Brink of Suicide
Dr. Christopher Veal at his medical school graduation.
Christopher Veal, then a second-year medical student, contemplated a desperate plan. He intended to crash his car, making his death appear accidental. He had just endured a distressing meeting with a medical school dean after failing a required remediation course. The prospect of leaving medical school filled him with shame, fearing he would let down his family and negatively impact opportunities for other young Black individuals in medicine. “I was in such pain, I just wanted it to end,” recalls Dr. Veal, now a family medicine resident.
However, on that dark, snowy night in 2018, he made a different choice. He called his godmother, a physician who had tragically lost her own son to suicide. “She refused to hang up until I got home safely,” he recounts. That night, they decided he would take a medical leave of absence and seek help from a mental health doctor.
Dr. Veal began cognitive behavioral therapy, a process that helped him challenge and reshape his negative thought patterns. After four months, he felt ready to return to school. Reflecting on his crisis, he identifies several contributing factors. As the only Black man in his class, he felt isolated. Coming out as gay had created distance from family members who were not accepting. ADHD further complicated his adjustment to the rigors of medical school. He also had a history of untreated depression. “Where I was raised, therapy was for White people,” he explains. “You were supposed to just push through the pain.” The intense fear of failure also weighed heavily on him. “I grew up in an environment where failure can have dramatic consequences, like not being able to pay your rent or buy food,” he shares.
“We need to recognize that vulnerabilities can make us more compassionate, and that compassion can help us improve the lives of our patients.”
Two years later, another student suicide prompted Dr. Veal to break his silence. He discovered that many other students were experiencing similar intense stress, a “shared burden that no one was talking about.” He wrote a powerful essay in Academic Medicine sharing his story. Since then, he has received messages from numerous students who found his piece helpful during their own dark moments. Dr. Veal believes his journey highlights the pervasive culture in medicine where “vulnerabilities are considered liabilities.” He advocates for a shift in perspective, urging leaders and learners to embrace vulnerability as a source of compassion. “We need to recognize that vulnerabilities can make us more compassionate, and that compassion can help us improve the lives of our patients,” he emphasizes, underscoring the importance of a supportive environment where doctors feel comfortable seeking help from a mental health doctor.
Caring for the Carers
Dr. Jessi Gold with her dog Winnie.
Dr. Jessi Gold, a high-achieving student, faced an unexpected challenge as a premed undergraduate. “Getting a B was really hard for me, and people were saying you couldn’t get a B and continue on the path [to medicine],” recalls Dr. Gold, now a psychiatrist. The pressure triggered a depressive episode. She started skipping classes, isolating herself in her room, overeating, oversleeping, and withdrawing from friends – alarming signs for someone typically extroverted. Like many of her patients, who are primarily doctors, Dr. Gold initially believed she could manage her struggles alone.
However, fearing the impact of her depression on her grades, she sought help at the university clinic. “They told me I wasn’t sick enough to get care there,” she recounts, describing the experience as “pretty invalidating.” Dr. Gold finally accessed treatment during summer break, starting therapy and antidepressants, which she has continued ever since. “I am so grateful for this care. Life can get hard, and this helps me get through it more easily.”
Life indeed became more challenging during the pandemic, leading to burnout. “I couldn’t stay awake after work, and I wasn’t answering texts or calls from friends,” Dr. Gold explains. She also experienced disproportionate anger towards work emails and requests, feeling “I had nothing left to give.” She began diligently monitoring her mood, journaling, and establishing routines to separate work from her personal life.
“I am so grateful for this care. Life can get hard, and this helps me get through it more easily.”
Dr. Gold has been openly discussing aspects of her mental health journey, including on social media and in popular media. However, she initially remained silent about taking medication. In 2020, while other providers were disclosing their medication use online, she only shared about therapy. She realized she had internalized stigma around medication, believing it signified a “greater degree of illness,” despite her professional belief in its efficacy. This realization prompted her to be more transparent about medication as well. “I needed to tell [about medication] because I could see how far we have to go if someone like me who you’d think would be comfortable with this, is not.” Dr. Gold acknowledges the difficulty of sharing mental health details but emphasizes that even small shifts in culture, like simply asking colleagues “Today was hard for me. What was it like for you?”, can make a significant difference in fostering a supportive environment where doctors feel empowered to prioritize their mental health and seek help from a mental health doctor.
In conclusion, these physicians’ stories powerfully illustrate that mental health challenges are prevalent within the medical profession. Seeking help from a mental health doctor is not a weakness, but a sign of strength and a crucial step towards well-being and professional effectiveness. Openness, empathy, and a cultural shift towards prioritizing mental health are essential to support doctors, enabling them to continue providing compassionate and high-quality care to their patients. For doctors struggling with their mental health, seeking support from qualified mental health doctors is a vital step in caring for themselves so they can best care for others.
