Safeguarding Mental Health of Doctors & How They Can Prevent a Burnout
Fostering better mental health understanding and practices among medical professionals is one of the critical requirements for the healthcare industry and society at large. Compared to other professions, stress is an integral part of the life of a doctor as they are trained to work in high-stress environments with almost no margin for error and extremely high expectations. With the effects and aftermath of the pandemic, doctors across the country are now facing significant issues related to burnout and mental fatigue. Further, since doctors set very high standards for their own performance coupled with a sense of self-criticism for anything that goes wrong and a refusal to seek help when needed - all of which can severely impact the mental health of these professionals.
It is impossible to address mental health issues without understanding the impact of burnout. Today, with the added stress of the pandemic, there has been a lot of stress on the entire fraternity. Increased workload and emergencies have led to a further blurring of work-life boundaries, leading to an increased risk of burnout. Besides hospitals, even medical schools and clinical training are rigorous, and looking after mental health can quickly become the last thing on their list. Also, medicine and healthcare are known for a culture of self-reliance and independence, which is why many physicians feel they cannot show any signs of weakness, which causes burnout and mental exhaustion.
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