Today is R U OK? day, promoting open communication on mental health issues and suicide.
I was approached by a colleague about raising the alarm regarding the high rate of suicide in the dentistry community. Recently, a study at the University of Melbourne School of Dentistry (2023), identified causes such as anxiety being prevalent in the dentistry profession, as well as working under stressful conditions where the imperative need for perfection is pressed upon, dealing with complaints from patients, the prominent fear of litigation, and daily pressures of running a small business as contributing factors to suicidal ideation in dentists. A worrying 17% of Australian dentists have felt like taking their own life within the last 12 months, and up to 31% in the last 2 years.
Other factors causing depression among dental practitioners are the isolation from other colleagues and the stigma surrounding existing mental health issues for healthcare providers (and the risk of being reported to the Board). This has a compounding effect when dealing with patient's complaints, their fears or anger (pain often comes out as anger).
As a cohort, healthcare providers must be dedicated to beating the stigma surrounding mental health
Can we take this R U OK day to acknowledge the importance of how we care for each other as colleagues, without judgment? It is perfectly ok to speak up, to open the conversation around struggles, stressors, and the promotion of wellness?
Solutions
The organisation Beyond Blue suggests solutions such as social connection, peer support and developing a network for safety. This is potentially missing in the dentistry industry. Social isolation is a stressor as outlined in the research project; one of the suggestions is a better monitoring of the mental health of dental clinicians' cohort.
Does this mean there is a gap to fill to ascertain the well-being of those healthcare workers?
There is evidently a need to promote a culture of safety around mental health issues that clinicians experience, along with starting a realistic conversation about mental health-related stigma. Concepts of open conversations and peer support programs, wellbeing events for stress management or its prevention, as well as getting support from professionals, could be implemented.
" It is vital that we reduce this stigma through advocacy and education to ensure practitioners can seek the appropriate mental health support they need". (Hopcraft, 2023).
You can find more tools to release stress, some nourishing practices and scaffolding strategies, and information on trauma-sensitive practices for healthcare workers on the blog.
We are here to help. We want to hear from you and your experience! Don’t be a stranger, drop us a comment.
If today’s topic triggered some emotions you cannot navigate, please seek professional help, call 000 or visit your emergency department.
Or call LifeLine 13 11 14 (in Australia, 24/7 support).
Sources:
University of Melbourne (2023). https://dental.unimelb.edu.au/news-and-events/dental-practitioners-face-rising-burden-of-mental-health-conditions,-study-says
Hopcraft. M.S., Stormon, N., McGrath, R. and Parker, P. (2023). Factors associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts by Australian dental practitioners. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdoe.12849
Beyond Blue, suicide prevention programs www.beyondblue.org.au
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