Nearly half of physicians reported feeling they met the criteria for a psychiatric disorder during medical school but did not seek treatment, possibly due to mental health stigma, Medscape reported.
Physicians might be reluctant to seek diagnoses and treatment due to stigma reinforced by state medical boards that require physicians to disclose mental health issues on licensing applications, the report said.
Medical culture might play a part as well. Many physicians struggle with shame and impostor syndrome, which could make seeking help more difficult.
Mental health researcher Katherine Gold, MD, associate professor in the departments of family medicine and obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, interviewed physician mothers in a closed Facebook group. More than 2,000 physicians responded to an anonymous, 24-question survey about their mental health history and treatment, perception of stigma and personal experience and opinions.
Dr. Gold found the following:
- One-third of respondents said they had received a formal mental health diagnosis since medical school.
- Respondents reported writing their own prescriptions in an attempt to manage their mental health issues.
- Some respondents reported paying cash for visits to avoid having an insurance company record.
"There has always been a stigma and a fear around mental illness, and that's what's reflected in many state licensing board questionnaires," Dr. Gold said in a news release. "There's a huge discrepancy between what states ask about physical conditions — such as whether those conditions affect their ability to practice — and what they ask about mental conditions, where the impact on their abilities is not asked about."