“Here to talk about the worst day of my life thus far. Something that happened that has devastated my life for the past 8 years. While trying to find the silver lining, I see it as 'if I can get through this, I can get through anything.'
It was 8 years ago today that I lost my dad to suicide. He was a brilliant doctor, working as a High Risk OBGYN. He saved countless lives, but none of us could foresee this happening in order to save his. Depression and drug abuse does not effect any one specific type of person. It doesn't care if you are poor or rich and it hides itself well in those we least expect it.
I wanted to share my story because there is such a stigma to talk about mental health and addiction, especially in the medical community. We are supposed to be perfect and if we have any kinds of problems it's hard to show it out of fear of losing our jobs, license, patients-- would you go to a doctor if you found out he had just gotten out of rehab or the other doctor that never had to go to rehab?
My dad had gone through rehab and was clean for 8 years before relapsing. Did you know statistics show 85% of addicts relapse within the first year?! So how do we expect more from our medical family? Because we hold them to a higher standard? Let me tell you... Addiction-- that need, that craving, that psychological hold isn't any less just because someone has MD after their name.
This is why doctors and dentist have the highest rate of suicide in any profession. We put them back in the environment they were in to being with, but without any extra support. And when they do what most addicts do, we take their livelihoods away.. Something that they spent 12+ years working their butts off towards. Where is the compassion we are told to have for all the other patients we care for?
GDH 1957-2011❤️”
Written by @offtheclocknurse
Photo by @wali_khann
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