Breaking the Silence: Confronting Physician Stress & Suicide in Modern Healthcare-View Presentation Slides

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The 2025 American Psychiatric Association webinar "Breaking the Silence: Confronting Physician Stress and Suicide in Modern Healthcare" addressed the critical issue of physician mental health, burnout, and suicide. Key speakers included experts Dr. Carrie Cunningham, Dr. Sid Zisook, Dr. Srijan Sen, Dr. Michael Baron, and Dr. Christine Moutier, presenting research and lived experiences. <br /><br />Physician suicide remains a serious concern, with about 15% of physicians experiencing suicidal thoughts and many knowing colleagues who died by suicide. Factors contributing to physician distress include high rates of burnout, depression, anxiety, loneliness, and job-related pressures intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveys show 52% report burnout often, and 39% suffer moderate to severe depression, yet only a minority receive mental health treatment due to stigma, concerns over licensing, time constraints, and fear of appearing weak.<br /><br />Burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion, detachment, and reduced personal achievement, overlaps with but differs from clinical depression, with depression carrying a higher risk for suicide. Physicians often exhibit perfectionism, compulsiveness, and a "lone ranger" mentality, creating barriers to self-care and help-seeking. Moral injury—psychological harm from actions conflicting with personal values—further exacerbates distress.<br /><br />Significant gender disparities were noted, with female physicians at higher suicide risk than female non-physicians, partly linked to work-family conflict, increased during the pandemic. Suicide is the leading cause of death among residents, especially early in training.<br /><br />The panel emphasized multi-level prevention strategies: recognizing the problem's scope, reducing stigma and barriers to care, fostering workplace psychological safety, leadership involvement, peer support, confidential mental health resources, training, and postvention efforts following suicide deaths. Resources include mindfulness, therapy, physician health programs, and tools from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention to facilitate safe conversations and support. Overall, a systemic cultural shift is urged to promote physician well-being and prevent suicide through collective action and sustained support.

Keywords

physician suicide

burnout

mental health

COVID-19 pandemic

depression

stigma

moral injury

gender disparities

prevention strategies

physician well-being