The profession of a doctor entails a high level of responsibility for the patient. This requires a stable constitution – both physically and mentally. But the workload is heavy, and the time available to them is short. What works at first becomes more and more difficult over time. It is therefore essential to find a way out of a negative spiral in good time, before all reserves have been used up.
The profession of a doctor is not only useful and meaningful, 90% are also quite satisfied with their job, as a survey showed [1]. However, the load is very high. The fact that a large proportion of physicians believe that they have too little time available to treat patients is not new. However, the fact that more than a quarter of the physicians in private practice surveyed feel burned out by their work makes one sit up and take notice. In the hospital, the numbers are even higher. In fact, after teachers, this profession is the most at risk for burnout. Working with people is not only challenging, but also comes with a high degree of responsibility. Yet it is rarely the workload alone that leads the way to this total exhaustion. As a rule, other aspects such as tensions at the workplace, lack of social support and the classic “work-family conflict” are added. A trusting and friendly atmosphere at the workplace is not just psychological nonsense, but the basis for long-term performance. In addition, a clear balance should be found between professional and private life – incl. clear separation of the two areas.
Myth doctor
People who are at risk are those who have a perfectionist disposition – especially in connection with an idealization of the doctor’s image, are ambitious and in need of harmony. A pronounced striving for harmony leads to not openly addressing conflicts, but to suppressing them. In the course of therapy it is therefore a goal to put the demands on oneself on a more realistic footing and to adjust values as well as aspirations. The myth of the doctor is still omnipresent, both in the minds of patients and in those of the doctors themselves. A doctor does not get sick, is always fit and efficient. After all, he knows how to do it. Unfortunately, that’s not how life works. No one always has everything under control. Of course, we know very well what effects chronic stress has. However, it is something else to admit to yourself an overload or even weaknesses. Physicians act in the area of conflict between responsibility and helplessness. Not infrequently, this is compounded by the fear of disappointment or even failure. Was everything really done that could be done? Was something overlooked? Could something have been done better? Thoughts are circling.
High suicide risk
Physician suicide rates far exceed those of the general population – by 1.3 to 3.4 times, depending on the study [2,3]. Here, the early symptoms of burnout were often ignored (Tab. 1) . Emotional exhaustion, alienation from other people and a drop in performance are the first signs. Whereby the drop in performance does not have to be through. Often it is first compensated by sheer willpower. But resources are dwindling. Even an actually nice invitation to dinner can then already go beyond the limits. Of course, you could see the signs. But time is needed for this. Time to look at yourself, to perceive your own needs and to get to the bottom of your complaints. And that time is not there. Maybe it should be taken before it’s too late?
Literature:
- www.kbv.de/html/aerztemonitor.php (last accessed 09/15/2020)
- Suhai T: Suicide by anesthesiologists. Anaesthesist 2010; 59: 395-400.
- Reimer C: Suicidality in physicians. Psychiat Prax 2005; 32: 381-385.
InFo ONCOLOGY & HEMATOLOGY 2020; 8(4): 36.
