Physician Wellness

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Your Well-Being Matters

What You Can Do

The following are 5 evidence-based actions physicians can do – and their loved ones and colleagues can encourage – to help prevent suicide.

Cultivate daily self-care habits by being curious about “how you tick” (i.e., take note of and practice the activities that lead to positive outcomes).
Realize that mental health is a dynamic part of human health, which means individuals can have some influence over their own mental health outcomes (e.g., staying on effective treatment for a recurrent pattern of depression or anxiety to positively affect mental health).
Look out for colleagues. Realize that subtle changes in behavior can be the “tip of the iceberg” indicating more significant struggles.
Do not assume that accomplished peers have it together and never struggle (i.e., check in on strong friends).
Learn how to have caring conversations, colleague to colleague, that invite deeper disclosure.
When dialoguing with a distressed colleague, remember that with distress comes negative cognitive distortions, so it is critically important to state the obvious—that you respect them, think well of them for getting help, are willing to help them connect with treatment, and will continue to be there for them. If you have struggled previously, you may have special empathy that you can marshal to help them understand they are not alone.

Provided by The Physicians Foundation for National Physician Suicide Awareness Day.

Prioritize Your Well-being

Physicians Support Line

Physician Support Line is a national, free, and confidential support line service made up of 600+ volunteer psychiatrists, joined together in the determined hope to provide peer support for our physician colleagues and American medical students as we all navigate the COVID-19 epidemic.

Physician Support Line (888)-409-0141

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For the Front Lines

FRONTLINE offers support dealing with anxiety, stress, fear, isolation, or other difficult emotions you are experiencing. Text 741741

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Resources

Mindfulous offers free course for healthcare workers to manage burnout. Co-created by CAFP member, Hani Chaabo, MD.

PeerRxMed is a free, peer-supported program designed to help physicians move toward thriving both personally and professionally. Created by Dr. Mark Greenawald.

The Whole Physician is a Group of ED physicians who provide coaching for clinicians. Coaching is an evidence based wellness tool that is proving to be effective for clinicians.

AAFP Resources

Physician Health First

AAFP has created a platform for supporting physician health. Many family physicians report feeling dissatisfied in their profession, and disconnected from their purpose. As physicians you face more challenges than ever in delivering quality patient care. Regulation burdens, documentation mandatories, operational policies, practice inefficiencies, and a culture of physician self-sacrifice all get in the way of serving the patient.

Phys ician Health First offers resources for burnout, crisis help, assessment tests, tools to well-being, and so much more.

AAFP News Coverage and Blog Posts on Physician Well-Being

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