97 Medical Secrets So Dark You Might Be Scared Of Going There Ever Again

We turn to our trusted medical professionals to help us in times of need, but many of them are facing crises of their own.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, health workers are feeling fatigue, loss, and grief at levels higher than before the Covid pandemic. And reports of poor mental health symptoms have increased more for health workers than for other worker groups.

The Pew Research Center reveals that physicians, nurses, health technicians, and others in the sector are at increased risk of taking their own lives, compared with their nonmedical peers.

One U.S. study found that 14% of healthcare workers had reported having such thoughts, 6% had gone as far as planning the act, and 3.5% had followed through by attempting it. Sadly, every year, more than 300 physicians are successful in taking their own lives.

Even with the stakes this h**h, experts say healthcare nurses are less likely to seek mental health support when experiencing depressive thoughts compared with nurses who do not have such thoughts.

"And in contrast to the general population, physicians are less likely to seek mental health support even when experiencing [thoughts of s*******m]," adds the Pew site.

One of the reasons for this is the stigma attached to mental health issues within the medical fraternity. Some fear their careers will suffer if they speak up. A 2021 study found that 47% of doctors agreed that doctors with a history of depression or anxiety disorder are less likely to be hired or appointed.

Pew adds that in many U.S. states, health care providers applying for their license or credentials must disclose whether they have ever had mental health concerns or received mental health care.

"Data shows that 40% of physicians and 35% of physicians assistants reported reluctance to seeking mental health supports because of concerns about licensure repercussions," reveals the site, adding that many nurses also worry about the professional consequences of receiving mental health care.

48% of doctors who took part in a 2023 poll reported that they know a physician, colleague, or peer who said they would not seek mental health care. This is despite more than half reporting that they know of a physician who has considered, attempted, or died by taking their own life.

A separate survey found that only 26% of physicians with mental health conditions seek treatment.

“Health workers are experiencing unprecedented rates of burnout and mental health conditions due to factors like long, irregular hours, unsafe and difficult work environments, resource shortages, and h**h clinical demands they face daily,” says Stefanie Simmons, chief medical officer of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation.

But the mental health crisis within the medical profession is not only impacting doctors, nurses and their peers. It can also affect the treatment that patients receive, or don't receive.

“Many of the operational policies and practices are there based on the misplaced belief that they protect patient safety, but the reality is starkly different: When health workers fear seeking help, the quality of care declines, mental health conditions and burnout intensify, workforce shortages grow, and lives are lost,” warns Simmons.