If you are thinking about ending your life, please reach out and talk to someone.
That could be a friend or family member, someone you trust. Or, you could contact a support service. The following services are available 24 hours a day, every day:
- Phone Samaritans on 116 123
- Text “SHOUT” to 85258
- Email [email protected]
If your life is in danger (for example, if you have taken a drug overdose), call 999 for an ambulance or go straight to A&E.
Suicide in doctors
Suicide rates among doctors have declined in recent years. However, the risk of suicide remains worryingly high among female doctors, who are 76% more likely to take their own life than the general population. The rate was much lower for male doctors, about the same as the general population, although male doctors are still more at risk than those in similar professional groups.
Doctors are just as vulnerable to mental health problems as anyone else. In addition, we know they are more prone to some of the risk factors for suicide, including work stress, depression and anxiety, and substance abuse.
However, doctors often struggle to reach out for support when they need it. Less than half of doctors experiencing depression say they are likely to seek treatment for mental health concerns. This may partly be due to their busy working life, making it difficult to fit in an appointment or treatment.
A more significant reason is likely to be the stigma associated with seeking help. Doctors tend to be high achievers, and very driven; it can be a blow to their professional pride if they have to be a patient, rather than helping patients. Medical students and younger doctors especially are unlikely to disclose mental health issues, worrying about confidentiality, the potential impact on their career, and what their peers might think.
Finding support
There is support available which can bypass some of those concerns about reaching out.
If your mental health difficulties have caused financial hardship – for example, by preventing you from working – then you might be eligible for financial support from the RMBF. This could help you with day-to-day living costs while you access the appropriate mental health support. All enquiries are confidential. You can find out more and get in touch today.
DocHealth, run by the RMBF and the BMA, offers confidential psychotherapy for all UK doctors. You can self-refer to the service, so there are no reports to your trust or your manager. And the fees are based on your ability to pay, with financial support available if needed.
If you are working for the NHS in England, you can use their Wellbeing check tool, which will offer relevant information and support based on the answers you give. None of your information will be shared with your employer.
If you are worried about someone else
If someone you know has attempted suicide, call 999. If you are with them, stay with them until the ambulance arrives.
If you’re with someone and you think they are at immediate risk, you can help by removing anything they might use to harm themselves. Stay with them and seek emergency help.
If someone is not at immediate risk, but you’re still concerned that they could take their own life, you can still help. You can direct them to the support resources below. Or, if you feel able to, you could help by talking to them.
It’s best to ask simple, direct questions about how they are feeling, rather than dancing around the topic. Give them time to answer, and take what they say at face value. Instead of responding with suggestions and advice, it can be more valuable just to listen. And try to stay calm – it can be difficult to hear that a friend is struggling in this way, but by providing calm, you will be helping both parties.
The thought of asking someone whether they are suicidal can be scary – you might worry that this could somehow encourage them. But research shows that asking someone this question can actually protect them. It gives them permission to share their honest feelings, and that can be a huge relief. The Samaritans website covers this in more detail.
Signs to look out for
Our guide The Vital Signs describes seven “early warning signs” that a doctor is struggling with their mental health:
- The ‘disappearing act’: not answering bleeps; disappearing between clinic and ward; lateness; frequent sick leave.
- Low work rate: slowness in doing procedures, clerking patients, dictating letters, making decisions; arriving early, leaving late and still not achieving a reasonable workload.
- ‘Ward rage’: bursts of temper; shouting matches; reacting badly to real or imagined slights.
- Rigidity: poor tolerance of ambiguity; inability to compromise; difficulty prioritising; inappropriate ‘whistle blowing’.
- ‘Bypass syndrome’: junior colleagues or nurses find ways to avoid seeking the doctor’s opinion or help.
- Career problems: difficulty with exams; uncertainty about career choice; disillusionment with medicine.
- Insight failure: rejection of constructive criticism; defensiveness; counter-challenge.
More resources
Many organisations offer in-depth resources which can help you deal with suicidal thoughts, and find the right support to prevent them re-occurring in future.
Rethink Mental Illness
Suicidal thoughts – how to cope
Suicidal thoughts – how to support someone
Samaritans
If you’re having a difficult time
If you’re worried about someone else
Mind
Treatment and support for suicidal feelings
Grassroots Suicide Prevention
