In my last article on mental health I talked about the depression and mental health condition of Dairy Farmers. Another interesting thing is that it bleeds over to the professions that serve them.
Since I am a veterinarian, I feel free to talk about it to my profession. Truth is that I have had colleagues that have committed suicide. Here is a quote from an article from a Dr. Cook from Texas A&M.
Dr. Cook points to a number of factors for why veterinary professionals are at higher risk for suicide: “I think that many veterinarians have very high expectations for themselves and are not used to struggling or feeling inadequate, in either professional or personal situations,” she says. “So, a series of bad outcomes with patients or problems with a personal relationship can seem overwhelming and are taken to mean that one is somehow ‘not good enough.’ Combine that mindset with money worries, fatigue and easy access to drugs and you have a potentially lethal situation.”
In the Summer Veterinarian Nurse Magazine you find the following:
This is the first study that also considered suicide rates among veterinary technicians.
What we need to do is first be aware for Compassion Fatigue.
Dr. Charles Figley of Tulane Traumatology Institute describes Compassion Fatigue as the following:
Compassion Fatigue is a state experienced by those helping people or animals in distress; it is an extreme state of tension and preoccupation with the suffering of those being helped to the degree that it can create a secondary traumatic stress for the helper.
Signs of Compassion Fatigue are the same as those for depression:
After being aware of ourselves and colleagues, we then need the courage to reach out and communicate with them.
Listen, engage them in meaningful conversations, and then encourage them to seek help to find enjoyment in what they are doing.
...I find laughing at myself and clients is also helpful
This post is part 2 of a 2-part series on Mental Health.
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