Doctors are often hailed as heroes, but let’s be real—they aren’t caped crusaders, just exhausted humans in white coats. Society expects them to heal the sick, endure grueling shifts, and make life-or-death decisions daily. But what happens when the healers themselves are in crisis? This is especially true for a female doctor, who might face additional unique challenges.
According to a disturbing new study, female doctors in the U.S. are 53% more likely to die by suicide than the general population. Meanwhile, their male counterparts, for reasons unknown (or conveniently ignored), are actually 16% less likely to suffer the same fate. Ah, the bitter irony of medicine.
Medicine: The Profession That Demands Your Sanity
This study, conducted by researchers at the University of California San Diego, the Barnes Jewish Hospital, and Northeastern University, suggests that the medical profession is a fast track to emotional devastation. Long hours, relentless stress, and a dysfunctional healthcare system create a perfect storm for mental health struggles.
Of course, instead of addressing these glaring issues, the system prefers the classic approach: Ignore. Suppress. Repeat.
UNSPOKEN REALITY: SUICIDE AS A SIDE EFFECT OF MEDICINE
The study found that physician suicides are often linked to work-related stress, depression, and mental health conditions. But here’s the kicker: doctors are often too terrified to seek help.
A jaw-dropping 40% of doctors fear professional repercussions if they admit to struggling. In the twisted world of medicine, acknowledging burnout is worse than the burnout itself. You know, because self-care is for patients, not doctors.
ASKING FOR HELP = CAREER SUICIDE
If a doctor dares to seek mental health treatment, they risk getting flagged as unfit for the job. Licensing boards and hospitals practically roll out the red tape to discourage any sign of emotional distress.
Take the tragic case of Dr. Lorna Breen, an emergency physician who took her own life during the pandemic. She feared seeking help would cost her career. Her death led to the creation of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation, an organization fighting to remove mental health-related licensure questions. Because, apparently, doctors need an advocacy group just to have permission to care for themselves.
THE “STRONG FEMALE DOCTOR” MYTH: A PRESCRIPTION FOR DISASTER
Female doctors are expected to do it all—save lives, shatter glass ceilings, and be flawless role models. But when they crumble under the weight of these impossible expectations, society gasps in confusion.
Perhaps we should stop pretending that burnout is an individual failing and start acknowledging the toxic system that breeds it.
MEDICINE’S BIGGEST PARADOX: THE HEALERS WHO CAN’T HEAL THEMSELVES
Until the medical industry stops punishing doctors for being human, the cycle will continue. We will keep losing some of our best minds—not to disease, but to a profession that refuses to care for its own.
So, next time you thank a doctor for their service, maybe also ask: Are you okay? Because chances are, no one else has.
