My post this morning got me to thinking

[briarrose]

When my day went sour yesterday and I called my mom to unload first because I was so hurt and angry, it peeved her. She is an RN and fired back with this known statistic about Professionals.

Statistical risk factors for suicide

Demographic

* Males in general

* Gays, lesbians, bisexuals

* Single, divorced, separated, widowed

* Teens and the elderly

* People who are living alone or who are socially isolated

* Whites, Native Americans

* Physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, dentists, police officers, attorneys (white male psychologists have the highest professional suicide rate)

* The unemployed

Clinical

* Major depression

* Chronic emotional or physical pain

* Terminal illness

* Loss of physical functioning, including neurological disorders

* Loss of body parts or physical integrity

* HIV, AIDS

* Dialysis, dependence on others for health care

* Co-morbidity

Individual

* History of prior attempts

* Family history of suicide

* Family history of physical or sexual abuse or drug abuse

[Ernie]

Hi

I am sorry but I do not understand what is implied in your mother's answer. Would it be possible to explain?

Thanks

Ernie

[briarrose]

Yesterday my doctor suggested that because I was complaining about my symptoms that I should really see a psychiatrist. He felt that I didn't really have a medical issue and that I was just complaining about symptoms that we've discussed before. OK, true we have discussed them before and he patted me on the head, reassured me that it was POTS and sent me out the door, the just deal with it attitude and you need to see a psychiatrist to help you accept it.

I called my mom and told her that I was so upset and he wasn't taking my symptoms seriously. That all of my symptoms were so much for me to handle and the fatigue was worse than ever. I told my mom that his answer was a psychiatrist. My mom laughed and tried to find the humor in it all and made a crack about psychiatrists and doctor's having the highest suicide rate amongst professionals.

Sorry Ernie I guess it was my dry humor.

[Ernie]

Hi Briarose,

Thanks for explaining. So if I understand correctly your mom was trying to encourage you by saying that psychiatrist have a lot of personal problems because they have the highest suicide rate.

I'm probably off topic but I always wondered how do these guys manage to keep their sanity when they have to deal with people who have psychosis (schizophrenic, etc.). I mean the doctors who work at the hospital and see them all day long. I know I would not be able to handle it. I was a psychotherapist for more than 10 years and never had very severe cases. But for me the most difficult cases were the ones who were highly suicidal. I got very stressed out and could hardly sleep at night. I would not have wanted any of my client to commit suicide.

Ernie

[briarrose]

Yep

Mom was taking a crack at her dry humor in cheering me up telling me they have their own personnel problems.

Off topic, Dr. Grubb gave a speech in California this past summer to doctor's about the same subject. I was kind of surprised. Good for him to talk to docs about burn out and suicide.

[danish]

I don't know if any of you watch Law and Order but this thread reminds me of the last show. It was about a psychologist getting depressed and psychotic herself because of her patients and then finding her own shrink...although I'm not surprised burnout happens so often.