Acknowledging COVID-19's impact on doctors' mental health
Acknowledging COVID-19's impact on doctors' mental health
It's time to address the emotional responses to the traumas doctors face — from persistent anxiety to grief — that are brought on by their experiences during the pandemic.
Doctors' well-being and mental health are under threat from the after-effects of the trauma of the last year, not to mention the ongoing challenges posed by COVID-19.
Now that it appears the worst of the U.S. epidemic is behind us, it's time to acknowledge the emotional responses to the traumas doctors have faced, which can run the gamut from persistent anxiety, anger, stress, sadness, fear, exhaustion, and grief to other complex emotions brought on by their experiences during the pandemic.
Healthcare leaders, as well as elected officials and community leaders, should first acknowledge the acute and chronic psychological impacts of giving care and experiencing the suffering of others during the pandemic.
Leaders can address how to access meaningful psychological support for their colleagues and medical teams. They can begin by identifying new, effective programs for doctors to integrate into their work lives to support psychological well-being and improve resilience in the face of all the situations they encounter.
At a recent American Psychiatric Association presentation, researchers from Sinai Health in Toronto described the success they had applying resilience coaching to support healthcare providers' psychological well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the program, coaches employed the principles of psychological first aid, resilience, and psychotherapy to mitigate burnout and boost coping among providers. Early analysis suggests the coaching worked and attenuated the mental health threats faced by the providers in the program.
We look forward to more research like this and to the widespread integration of mental health support into the daily lives of doctors.
If you or a healthcare worker you know is under distress, here are some resources that may help:
- Healthcare Personnel and First Responders: How to Cope with Stress and Build Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic (CDC)
- Mental Health and Resiliency Tools for Health Care Workers: COVID-19 (Minnesota Department of Health)
- Resources to Support the Health and Well-being of Clinicians During the COVID-19 Outbreak (National Academy of Medicine)
Source: Doctors, Facing Burnout, Turn to Self-Care, NY Times
New Research: Coaching Healthcare Workers Supports Wellness and Resilience During COVID-19, American Psychiatric Association