The Mental Health Crisis Among Doctors Is a Problem for Patients

October 18, 2023

(Vox) – Medicine has historically been a high-stress profession, and doctors have for decades faced higher depression and burnout risk than the rest of the population. But the pandemic amplified that risk: In one 2021 national survey, the percent of doctors with at least one manifestation of burnout increased by 43 percent from the pre-Covid-19 era — and these trends appear to be holding in 2023.

At the same time, doctors are less likely to seek treatment for mental health concerns for a variety of reasons. The pushback Ely hears is common: Many physicians say that despite their comfort with prescribing mental health treatment and care to patients, seeking mental health care for themselves remains highly stigmatized. Meanwhile, major shifts in many doctors’ practice environments mean they have less and less control over how and how much they work — leading to even more work-related distress.  (Read More)