Why Mental Health–Related Stigma Matters for Physician Wellbeing, Burnout, and Patient Care

Excerpt

Mental illness as defined by the DSM-V criteria affects nearly one in five American adults,¹ while burnout affects over half of practicing physicians.^{2, 3} Taken together, these numbers suggest that many physicians have been, will be, or are currently affected by mental health issues. However, the impact these issues have on a physician’s fitness to practice falls on a spectrum: Past or well-managed conditions may not affect a physician’s fitness to practice at all, whereas acute or poorly managed conditions may significantly impact a physician’s fitness. Overlooking this spectrum and treating all conditions as having equal impact likely contributes to the significant stigma against mental health conditions. Ironically, physicians with mental health conditions (PWMHC) and physicians experiencing burnout seem to face and internalize these attitudes despite being fully aware of their existence.⁴ As a result, physicians with past or well-managed conditions may choose not to disclose the care they have sought, and physicians with acute or poorly managed conditions may choose not to seek care at all. …