Why Doctors Should Never Deny Work Stress and Burnout

It is never surprising why doctors have under-reported the amount of stress that they face. Given their crucial role in patient treatment and health management, the fast-rising demand for care traps them in a detrimental cycle of fatigue, burnout, and fears of patient’s safety. However, these are important issues that need intervention to make sure that doctors continue to become functional, physically and mentally fit in the workplace. 

Just recently, the Massachusetts Medical Society, Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Global Health Institute documented how burnout is felt among physicians and how it stayed common among physicians than other U.S workers that contribute to emotional fatigue, depersonalization and loss of enthusiasm among physicians.

So, why do doctors deserve a break? 

According to an article by The Guardian, almost two out of three young hospital doctors say their physical or mental health is being damaged because of pressures felt in the workplace. A survey was conducted among 2,300 trainee anaesthetists from ages 20 to 30 and the results have shown a high likelihood of becoming burnout. 

The common experiences of young doctors or trainees include being busy despite having a break from shifts, deteriorating relationships with families and friends, stress, exhaustion, and sleeping problems. If these problems are not given early intervention, it will manifest in the long run where doctors no longer function optimally. 

Though there are plenty of ways to enjoy a break, c seem worthy to be part of your bucket list. Travelling the world while enjoying inside a facility that gives importance to the doctors’ well-being will surely revitalize your work dedication and passion. 

Given the strong need for qualities such as high intelligence, conscientiousness, and commitment among doctors, expectations already set standards for them to meet. If these are continuously imposed on doctors, they may react through dysfunctional perfectionism, inflexibility, over-commitment to work, isolation of affect, dogged persistence and an inability to relax. If these qualities are manifested, there is a high chance that doctors can no longer work competently. 

Speaking of expectations, doctors are also expected to relax and take a break when necessary. By simply having adequate time with their loved ones, eating well, and doing proper exercise, taking a break is definitely achievable. 

Aside from easy-to-do activities, you can also make time with family and for yourself in a river cruise such as HealthyMD CME that provides physical and mental rejuvenation by combining accredited doctor wellness education, nutrition, fitness and motivational health programming with exciting luxury worldwide travel. Definitely, you can always integrate and achieve travel and health.  

Being in the sphere of medical professionals, it is sometimes difficult to determine whether or not you need to take a break due to the overwhelming work demands. But at the end of the day, everybody deserves a break regardless of profession or career. Everybody has a breaking point and we should not wait for that to snap. 

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