Mental health of healthcare professionals has recently started gaining visibility with physician burnout , stress , anxiety and more severe situations such as depression and suicide coming to the forefront. While tackling mental health problems is an important and crucial issue at hand, we are still grappling with the fact that healthcare professionals can have mental health issues and require care and corrective measures hence, addressing the issue of attitude towards self-care is the need of the hour. Breaking the silence: In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Vivek Dwivedi, President - Association of Medical Consultants in Mumbai, shared, “When you accept the issues, then one can devise strategies for help and put it into practice.
There are many methods that doctors, nurses and medical staff can follow to keep their mental health in check. The first and foremost problem that one needs to address is self-discipline given that the profession subjects you to erratic work schedules, rotational shifts and heavy workload. Preparing a timetable that accommodates physical exercises, meals, recreational activities, and wellbeing measures, can greatly help in managing a stressful life.
” He suggested, “Cultivating a culture of healthy competition, peer-to-peer conversations and strong bonds and friendships at work can help given that all colleagues are experiencing the perils of a hectic work life. Being watchful about your staff and offering help to overcome such mental healt.