September 17th was the third annual National Physician Suicide Prevention Day. On this day I reflected on the colleagues I have lost over the years to suicide, one at nearly every stage of my training and practice in medicine. One is too many, more than one is tragic, and an estimated 400 annually in the US simply unacceptable. If you or someone you know, work with, or love are struggling- do not hesitate to reach out for help. A simple human connection and expression of awareness and support may be the catalyst for change. If you don’t know what to say – simply connect for a coffee or schedule a brief check in because its been a while since you talked. Keep it simple, straightforward. Or you might say ‘I noticed you’ve been more tired recently’, or grumpy, or overworked, or stressed- I am concerned and wanted to see how you are doing.’ The worst that can happen is that they don’t engage, or wave you off, or gloss over their distress- but the act of reaching out is important. Do not give up on a colleague in distress. The flip side of this is the colleague who seems fine on the surface, but who is in real distress behind the scenes. If this is you- you must make a safety plan immediately, reach out to your resource people today, or explore the resources available to you, today. You are not alone, you are important, part of an extraordinary community of healers and a valuable colleague and precious human being. Write out a safety plan and follow it. What do you need to do right now to keep yourself safe? Do it. Let’s look out for each other and be the ones that shine a light into these dark places and challenge and change the culture of medicine by stepping up when called to act. Enough is enough.
Resources from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP):
National Suicide Prevention Hotline
800-273-8255
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org
