Long work hours taking toll on doctors’ mental health: Experts

Patna: Who saves the saviour — this is a million-dollar question modern-day medical practitioners face. Long working hours, huge patient load and emotional stress witnessing deaths on a day-to-day basis takes a toll on their mental health. Doctors fight their own silent battles: their mental well-being, behind stoic masks worn in hospitals. This year's theme of National Doctors' Day, marked on July 1 — ‘Behind the Mask: Who Heals the Healers?' — highlights this often-overlooked struggle.Dr Santosh Kumar, head of the dept of psychiatry in Nalanda Medical College, said a doctor's life is inherently stressful. "There is a higher suicide rates among doctors. Long work hours, especially for junior doctors, largely impact their mental health. Many do not get enough time for essential activities like sleep and exercise. Those posted in emergency department are also vulnerable due to the demanding work culture there," he said, adding that recent studies have found 30.1% of health-care professionals suffer from depression, with 16.7% having suicidal thoughts. Approximately two-thirds experience moderate stress (67.2%) and 13% face high levels of stress.According to Dr Niska Sinha, senior psychiatrist at Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, the mental health of doctors is a concerning issue, with many physicians experiencing burnout, depression and anxiety due to the high-stress nature of their job."In places like Bihar, the doctor-patient ideal ratio is low, which leads to excess workload. There is also a lot of expectation. Burnouts among doctors have increased after Covid-19, and there is a stigma associated with mental health in the medical profession. Doctors are supposed to be strong. There are also professional barriers in seeking help from a doctor, no privacy because of being in the same profession," she said, adding factors such as long working hours, high patient loads, lack of resources and the emotional toll of dealing with suffering and death contribute to these issues.She suggested that providing safe and confidential access to mental health services can help physicians feel more comfortable seeking help."Addressing the mental health of doctors requires systemic reforms, cultural shifts and improved support structures. Implementing policies to ease burdens and promote work-life balance can help reduce burnout and improve mental health. By prioritising physicians' well-being, we can ensure high-quality patient care and sustain the healthcare system in the long run. We need to save the saviour," she said.