Stress Converting Doctors into Patients

Stress Converting Doctors into Patients

Patients should verify this aspect of a doctor. It looks like doctors are sitting on the other side of the table. Physicians across specialties seeking help from other physicians or psychiatrists for depression, anxiety and various health problems.

Psychiatrists are seeing more cases where the patient is another doctor seeking counsel and treatment. The trend is being attributed to the trauma of being in a profession where there's a lot of stress and constant contact with misery and death, worries over remuneration and easy access to drugs.

Many doctors suffer from chronic fatigue wherein disturbed sleep, loss of appetite and headache are a few symptoms. It is commonly seen among ICU specialists, who work for long hours or do night duty. Doctors first try self-medication before opting for consultation.

Oncologists, who come across patients with advanced stages of cancer,  feel helpless as there's a limit to what they can do to help. This, in the long run, can lead to depression among physicians.

In India, doctors at the early stages (after MBBS) are not paid well compared to those in other countries. It is only around 30 years that they actually start earning well.

Another cause of concern is the slow rate of career progression. To be successful and survive in the metros, doctors aim for specialization. After six years of MBBS, they can go for three years of post-graduate courses (MD/ MS), followed by super specialization for another three years (DM/MCh). For admission to these courses, they have to clear tough entrance examinations. Failure also leads to depression in many ambitious doctors.

Moreover, a doctor takes 12 years to become a specialist. By then, he would have crossed 30 years and started his family. When they compare their salaries and lifestyle with people from high-paying sectors, they feel depressed and frustrated. This factor make a doctor criminal by charging high level of money from patients and when struck with his professional oath of the wording render doctor in misery.

A cardiac doctor in a hospital operated on at least five patients a day and examine 50 to 70 patients . Working for long hours and handling many cases at a time, he couldn't remember patients' names and even case history. This also affected his health and couldn't handle the pressure and justify his inner consent for what he charges from patient. When he got an opportunity to practice abroad, he opted for it.

Given the seriousness of the issue, central and state medical councils along with the government need to evolve a policy for providing evaluation and support for ill doctors. This is in place in many countries already. For instance, the medical board of the state of Victoria in Australia has a well-developed policy. It is important not only for the safety of doctors but also the patients they treat.

Physicians who seek help are counseled, advised for psychotherapy and lifestyle modification for milder forms of depression. In more severe forms, they are put on medication along with supportive therapy.


Chronic fatigue among doctors working late hours, ICU specialists or those working night shifts. Depression, anxiety and stress, especially among those who work in areas like cancer, cardiac and psychiatry. Orthopaedicians and surgeons who operate long hours suffer from back pain and  Dentists who stand for long hours suffer from spine problems.

Ending a doctor is not concerned with spirituality and being a science personal his belief as there is no GOD and he himself is GOD is the fundamental reflection. To be rich  another cause of depression. Unethical methods used in medical research and trails has also made him frustrated as nature prick his soul for his did bad deed for society.