“Today, we stand together to advocate for systemic changes and increased support systems to safeguard the well-being of our physicians. They dedicate their lives to healing others, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure they have access to the help and support they need during their times of crisis."
National Physician Suicide Awareness (NPSA ) Day is a reminder and a call to action to make time to talk – and to act – so that physicians’ struggles don’t become mental health emergencies.
Providence’s Well Being Trust is joining organizations nationwide in taking action to prevent physician suicide by sharing resources to help improve physician well-being, including suicide prevention resources, and tips for starting important conversations about mental health.
Physicians have one of the highest suicide rates of any profession. More than half of physicians and medical students, and nearly half of residents know of a physician or colleague or peer, respectively, who has ever considered, attempted or died by suicide.
While there are some signs of improvement, the overall state of well-being remains low – with residents and medical students reporting an even lower state of well-being.
- According to The Physician’s Foundation, 4 in 10 physicians are afraid or know another physician fearful of seeking mental health care due to credentialing and intrusive questions
- Over 40 percent of physicians reported withdrawing from family, friends, and co-workers
- For physicians, high demand duties, stress, anxiety, and burnout can sometimes lead to suicidal ideation
- Physicians have one of the highest suicide rates of any profession
"Physician Suicide Awareness Day serves as a critical reminder of the urgent need to address the mental health challenges faced by those within the medical community. It's a sobering reality that physicians have one of the highest rates of suicide among any profession - an estimated 300 to 400 physicians die by suicide every year. Furthermore, studies indicate that approximately 1 in 3 physicians experience symptoms of depression, which significantly contributes to suicidal ideation."
Now is the time to get mental health resources in the hands of current and future physicians and to take action to create a culture of well-being in medical schools, residency programs and workplaces.
For more information about actions that you can take to prevent physician suicide, as well as to access resources, visit NPSADay.org.
View resources supporting physician mental health and well-being below
- Physician Support Line -Free, confidential and no appointment necessary for physicians and American medical students. Call 1-888-409-0141.
- Individual Physician Wellness and Burnout Tools – Access podcasts, TED Talks, blogs, and apps here.
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About National Physician Suicide Awareness Day
National Physician Suicide Awareness Day (#NPSADay) is a reminder and call to action. It’s a time to talk – and to act – so physicians’ struggles don’t become mental health emergencies. Prevention begins with learning the signs, starting the conversations, removing intrusive mental health questions and sharing the resources that can help those in distress seek mental health care. National Physician Suicide Awareness Day is an annual event that takes place on September 17, with a mission to break down the culture of silence around physician mental health. Learn more at NPSADay.org.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.
The information on this website is not intended to be medical advice. Medical advice can only be provided by your personal health care provider.
