In Honor of National Physician Suicide Awareness Day – Message a Physician Friend or Colleague and Tell Them You Appreciate Them

Today is National Physician Suicide Awareness Day.  Suicide among physicians is a shockingly big problem. Suicide is usually the result of a long sequence of negative and self-defeating thoughts. It’s what happens after you lose “the battle in your mind.” I admit that I’ve had those thoughts, and I suspect most physicians have. One of my colleagues committed suicide and I still ask myself what I should or could have done. I might have been one of the last people with the chance to say something to him. Only a few days before he committed suicide, I called him about a bizarre and uncharacteristic medical decision that he made to let him know how I got involved with the patient and to try to figure out how the series of events unfolded. I didn’t ask some simple questions which are included in the Conversation guide. I could have said, “I’ve noticed you haven’t seemed yourself lately. Is everything okay?” I could have asked, “How can I help?” He was a mentor to me, and it never occurred to me that he might have needed my help.

I am posting some materials from the Physician’s Foundation. The Physician Support Line is a national, free, and confidential support line of volunteer psychiatrists. Call 1-888-409-0141. It’s open Monday to Friday, 8 am to 12 am ET, except federal holidays. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

In my friend’s memory, today I am going to text 3 physician colleagues to tell them I appreciate them and all they do for patients and colleagues. I till tell them that world is a better place today because they are in it.

–Caroline