Depression and Suicide and How to Help Ourselves and Our Teams

DEPRESSION AND SUICIDE AND HOW TO HELP OURSELVES AND OUR TEAMS

Depression and Suicide:
Depression and suicide are intricate and deeply intertwined phenomena that continue to pose significant challenges to individuals, families and society as a whole. This lecture will provide an overview of the key aspects of depression and suicide, emphasizing their relationship and the importance of prevention and intervention strategies.
Depression is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, helplessness, a loss of interest or pleasure in normal daily activities, and so on. Depression is considered a widespread mental health disorder, affecting individuals of all ages, sexes, backgrounds, and socioeconomic statuses. Depression is a risk factor for many other medical disorders and while it is not synonymous with suicide, it is a potent risk factor for suicidal tendencies and other self-harm behaviors.
Suicide is a deliberate act of ending one’s own life, it represents a tragic endpoint of suffering and despair and is one of the leading causes of death on a global scale. There are multiple factors that can contribute and lead to risk of suicide in individuals and depression being one of the most significant factors. Understanding the relationship between suicide and depression is paramount in developing an effective intervention and prevention programs.

Personal Huddles:
The team members within the hospital are exposed to many hazards and toxins on a day to day basis. As team members, we take precautions again those exposures, but what do we do for ourselves. We are exposed to negativity on a daily basis within the team, within the hospital, from the clients, and even at times from the pets. We have rewarding jobs, but at times very stressful. Daily, we do clinical rounds about our patients and do team huddles over the schedule and what the day’s events will be. What about doing personal huddles for ourselves and our fellow team members. It is basically blocking off time for a team discussion about different events that have happened and giving everyone time to give and get feedback. For example – if there was a death of a favorite patient within the hospital, the team gets together during lunch or at the end of the day to discuss how all are feeling personally about this loss.
Recognizing Depression and Suicide within the Team:
Many times, we don’t want to discuss these particular subjects, but they are truly happening in the veterinary team, and we need to help each other through these and other struggles when recognize to make an end to losing our friends. Life, as we know it, has its ups and downs and is a definite struggle at times, and having too many “hits” in a row can push any of us over that edge towards sadness, despair, depression, and possible suicide. Veterinary personnel have a higher suicide rate by four times higher than the normal populations and two times higher than other healthcare professionals.
In summary, depression and suicide are complex and inter-related public health challenges that demand compassion and empathy for all affected with the disorders. A comprehensive approach, combining early detection, effective treatment, and suicide prevention strategies, is essential to reducing the burden of suffering and death associated with these mental disorders, addressing both the individuals and societal aspects of depression and suicide and we can work towards a future where mental health is a priority and the stigma around these topics are dismantled and brought to the forefront.
During this interactive lecture, we will discuss the signs and symptoms of depression, how to recognize it in other team members and how to recognize it within ourselves. We need to help each other through this journey, we all are in this together. Helping and recognizing all these difficulties will help to stop this sad side of the veterinary profession.
There are a great deal of prevention programs and studies around these mental disorders. Some practical stats around both depression and suicide:
Depression Stats:
• Prevalence – Depression is a common mental health disorder in the United States, and it effects millions of adults each year.
• Major Depressive Disorders (MDD) – MDD is on the most common forms of depression and it is estimated over 21 million adults in the United States have had at least one episode of major depression in the past years.
• Age Groups – Depression can affect people of all ages and it is often diagnosed in adults but can affect all people of all ages.
• Gender – studies have shown that women are more likely than men to be diagnosed with depression.
Suicide Stats:
• Suicide Rates – Suicide is a significant public mental health concern and in the past year, there were over 47,500 reported suicide in the United States.
• Age and gender – Suicide rates tend to be higher among certain age groups, for example adults, aged 45-64 had one of the highest suicide rates. Historically, men have had a higher suicide rates than women, however, the gap between males and females suicide rates have been decreasing in the recent years.
The Veterinary profession faces unique challenges that can contribute to mental health issues, including depression and suicide. Some specific statistics for the Veterinary profession from 2021:
• High rates of stress and burnout – Veterinary professionals work in high-stress environments dealing with the sick animals, difficult decisions, long hours, along with many other challenges. This high level of stress can lead to burnout and emotional exhaustion.
• Suicide risk – Studies have shown that the Veterinary professionals are at elevated risk of suicide compared to the general population. Factors contributing to this risk include the emotional tolls of euthanizing animals, financial pressures, student debt, the day to day stressors around Veterinary practice life, and so on.
• Work-life balance – maintaining a healthy work-life balance can be challenging in the Veterinary profession. Long hours and the need to be available for all our patients, especially those emergency cases can lead to those disruptions in our personal lives.
• Compassion fatigue – the Veterinary professionals often develop strong emotional connections with their patients and clients. This can lead to compassion fatigue, burnout that results from the emotional demands of the job.
• Financial stress – high level of student debt and the financial pressures within the Veterinary practice life can contribute to stress and depression that can lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, and suicides.

Helping the Veterinary profession to address anxiety, depression, suicides, and other mental disorders requires a multifaceted approach involving various stakeholders, including Veterinary organizations, companies, employers, team members, and all individuals within the profession. Here are some strategies and actions that can be taken to support the mental health and wellbeing of the Veterinary professionals:
• Raise awareness – Promote awareness of the prevalence of mental health issues in the Veterinary profession and reduce the stigma associated with seeking help.
• Education and training – provide mental health education and training to everyone in the Veterinary field to help recognize the signs of mental health challenges in themselves and others.
• Workplace support – Encourage Veterinary practices and institutions to create a supportive and compassionate work environment. This may include providing access to mental health services, flexible work hours, and stress management programs.
• Financial wellness – Address financial stressors by offering advice on managing student debt and providing financial literacy resources.
• Peer support – establish peer support networks or mentorship programs with the Veterinary community to create a sense of belonging and community and provide a space for sharing experiences.
• Self-care and resilience – promote self-care strategies and resilience-building techniques among Veterinary professionals. This includes encouraging regular exercise, healthy eating, yoga, mindfulness and other stress reduction techniques and time off.
• Work-life balance – Advocate for and support a healthy work-life balance, including setting realistic expectations about working hours and on-call responsibilities.
• Access to mental health services – ensure access to affordable and confidential mental health services for Veterinary professionals, including therapy and counseling.
• Monitoring and early intervention – develop systems for monitoring the mental health of Veterinary professionals and provide early intervention when necessary.
• Professional organization – encourage Veterinary organizations to prioritize mental health and well-being as part of their mission.
• Advocacy – Advocate for policy changes and legislation that address the mental health challenges faced by Veterinary professionals, for example – student debt relief programs
• Research – Support research to better understand the factors contributing to mental health challenges in the Veterinary profession and the effectiveness of intervention programs.
• Communication – Foster open and non-judgmental communication with the Veterinary profession, allowing all Veterinary team members to share their challenges and seek help with any fears associated with those challenges.
• Community support – encourage the broader community to support Veterinary professionals by understanding the unique challenges they face and offering empathy and assistance.
It is important for Veterinary professionals to know that they are not alone in their challenges and struggles and that help is available. By implementing these strategies and creating a supportive network, the Veterinary profession can work together to address mental health concerns and promote the well-being of those in the field.