Doctors' Suicide Rate Highest of Any Profession

[lifeisbutadream]

https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/news/20180508/doctors-suicide-rate-highest-of-any-profession

It says that "poisoning and hanging are among the most common methods".

 

[essbet]

I would say if you gave all employment sectors equal access to (comfortable) lethal means and comfort with the body's natural processes, it would be a vastly different picture.

Also I hate it when they highlight the stigma part. Every profession has a stigma against mental illness.

 

[Jon]

There's a link here I found some time ago with more information on the methods:

https://academic.oup.com/qjmed/article/93/6/351/1536833

 

[JohnDoe1]

Among the doctors, anesthesiologists are more likely to die by suicide....I am guessing, it's because they have access to anesthetics and barbiturates....

 

[Redt2go]

Most of these doctors do not kill themselves by stealing supplies wtf.... They have a high suicide rate because of the burnout

 

[JohnDoe1]

Most of these doctors do not kill themselves by stealing supplies wtf.... They have a high suicide rate because of the burnout

" The findings also found that having knowledge and access to potentially lethal substances account for the higher rate of suicide completion in doctors. "

Sure, burnout is a factor...but, having access to these drugs makes it more likely...

 

[Deleted member 4993]

Veterinarians far more likely to die by suicide than other Americans, research shows - NBC News
21 Dec 2018 · Researchers have long known that veterinarians are at higher risk of suicide. But for ... As more women have become vets, their suicide risk has risen sharply, according to CDC researchers.

 

[essbet]

I would say even if they don't have direct access to lethal drugs, they have a lot of knowledge of anatomy, pain, physiology, psychology, how to do academic paper searches, etc which all greatly contribute to the "accessibility" of suicide.

I do not think the levels of being a doctor are necessarily higher than other professions, but I would need to see a good collation of data on this to be persuaded one way or the other.

 

[hunter_lewis]

I think it all boils down to having good knowledge of the human body, having good access to poisons, being relatively versed with death and dying because you are surrounded by misery all day, every day, and having lower chances of being religious than the general population. If you know how to do it and are emotionally dulled by constant misery and pain of those around you-why not?

 

[lifeisbutadream]

I was surprised about doctors hanging. I would have thought that access to drugs plus drug knowledge would take precedence.

It says psychiatrists have the highest rate amongst doctors which makes sense since psychiatrists tend to be crazy before they even go to medical school and the whole profession is a fraud.

 

[lifeisbutadream]

Veterinarians far more likely to die by suicide than other Americans, research shows - NBC News
21 Dec 2018 · Researchers have long known that veterinarians are at higher risk of suicide. But for ... As more women have become vets, their suicide risk has risen sharply, according to CDC researchers.

Perhaps because of their access to N.

 

[KiraLittleOwl]

Perhaps because of their access to N.

It's also very emotionally tolling on empathetic people, often owners can't pay for the treatment and ask to put down pets that could be saved. Sometimes people would just leave injured animals at the door or demand to euthanase healthy pet because they don't want it anymore. I heard about a case when a owner left his cat at the clinic to be euthanased, the vet instead saved the cat, then the owner sue him :(
And often there is no team to share the responsibility.

 

[Morpheus]

They also know how and where to cut.

 

[itsallover]

Good news. I hate doctors. It would make me even happier if a large proportion were psychiatrists.

 

[lifeisbutadream]

It's also very emotionally tolling on empathetic people, often owners can't pay for the treatment and ask to put down pets that could be saved. Sometimes people would just leave injured animals at the door or demand to euthanase healthy pet because they don't want it anymore. I heard about a case when a owner left his cat at the clinic to be euthanased, the vet instead saved the cat, then the owner sue him :(
And often there is no team to share the responsibility.

Very true.