Depressed Doctors: When everyone expects you to "heal thyself."

What percentage of doctors suffer from depression?

The same percentage as anybody in any other profession.  Doctors are JUST AS likely to suffer from depression as the population at large.  They're also just as likely to have a seizure disorder, MS, diabetes or anything else.

Being a doctor doesn't mean you're immune.  But when it comes to depression, being a doctor does make a difference.

Compared with the general population - how often do doctors commit suicide?

TWICE AS OFTEN! 
Male physicians are 1.4 times more likely, and female physicians are 2.27 times more likely.

Why?

2 main reasons:

1.  Doctors know how to die - they see it every day.  They know what pills will kill them.  They can write the prescription, fill them, and take all they need to go quietly into the night.

2.  They don't get treatment.  The stigma for mental illness may have gone down for patients - but not for doctors.  Doctors still expect each other to "get over it."  When medical students were anonymously polled - 14% met the diagnosis for depression.  (about average for any population)
 - Here's why they didn't want to seek treatment or tell anyone:

 - 53% thought telling a counselor would be "risky"
 - 62% thought they'd be seen as "less intelligent"
 - 83% thought they'd be seen as "unable to handle responsibilities"
 - 56% thought their opinion would be less respected

Of practicing doctors that were polled:

 - 14% prescribed their own antidepressants (VERY DANGEROUS AND ILLEGAL)
 - 10% feared losing their practice privileges
 - 8% feared losing their medical license

Doctor's know intellectually that depression is an illness just like every other.  But we all went through med school, we know what's expected, and we know that doctors aren't supposed to get depressed.  We are taught that depression is weakness.  If you do feel depressed you should just buckle down and work harder and push on through.  Seeing a counselor or therapist is weak.  Take a pill if you have to - but deal with it on your own.  If you play the depression card - you'll be on the outside looking in.

It was a humbling lecture to hear today.  I sat in a room with 200 of my colleagues, and we talked about how much we care for our depressed patients, yet we continue to hold each other to a "higher" (impossible) standard.  Of all professions - Doctors should be the most understanding.

It was sad to read the studies, and see the results.
The medical community isn't just as bad as everybody else - we're worse.