0
Docs Suffer Highest Suicide Rate
One-a-day average tops all professions
By Neil Turitz
|
Posted Apr 27, 08 5:10 AM CDT
|
Share
(Newser)
–
Depression among physicians sparks 300 to 400 suicides a year, the highest rate of any profession, Newsweek reports. While male suicides outnumber female 4 to 1 in the general population, the rate among male and female doctors is about the same. "Undiagnosed and untreated depression is the culprit here," said a psychiatry professor.
An upcoming documentary, Struggling in Silence, highlights doctors' macho attitudes, their fear of getting help when suffering from depression, and the stigma that psychological treatment can carry. Part of prevention involves targeting med students, according to experts. "What we're trying to say to these kids is 'Get help, get well, stay well,'" said the professor.