In medicine, our first charge is to do no harm. As providers in healthcare we are always cognizant of this imperative. We live with a certain fear of missing something, omitting something, of making a mistake which might bring harm to a patient. Those are the kinds of mistakes with which we concern ourselves most…
Author: Dr. Burnout
Long Term Caregiver Burnout – 11 Things You Need to Know
One day, you will become a patient. We all will. Even before that happens, you may find yourself in the role as caregiver, caring for a loved one who is convalescing, ill, or dying. Healthcare providers know and expect what this entails, for we are faced with it every day. What about the general public,…
How Job Burnout is Related to Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse
Job related burnout is not something most people would associate with higher rates of alcoholism and other drug abuse. Yet studies show when burnout is severe, alcoholism and drug addiction become highly connected. No one who’s severely burned out at work ever wakes up one day and decides, “Gee, I think I’ll make things worse by…
The Very Real Connections Between Job Burnout and Suicide
It seems not a week goes by now without news of a celebrity who has committed suicide, Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain being the two most recent celebrities. Sometimes suicide touches our lives more profoundly, more personally, because the victim was close to us. All across the US, suicide rates are climbing. Why? It would…
Is Depression Causing My Burnout or Burnout Causing My Depression
On the surface this appears to be a classic chicken or egg question, until you dig a little deeper. A moment’s reflection on our current understanding of job related burnout (JRB) will offer a relevant and responsible answer. It is an observational fact, you can be depressed without being burned out at work. Burnout is…