As a child, during times of distress, did you seek comfort in a stuffed animal, a lullaby, an imaginary friend, a secret hiding place or good luck charm? Most of us did in one fashion or another. Psychologists call these objects, sounds and places “safety signals,” meaning they afford us a sense of solace when…
Of the many self-care approaches recommended during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the simplest and most powerful is smiling — or even pretending to smile. A wealth of behavioral science research proves the many benefits of putting on a smile, including: Stress reduction: Smiling reduces stress hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline. It’s as if a…
The cumulative effect of a stressful two years is real for us, our family members, and our clients and colleagues. It’s safe to assume that most everyone we work with, as well as those we serve, are carrying some amount of weight on their shoulders that impacts their daily interpersonal interactions. You may find that…
Optimism is the best mental attitude, right? While it may seem obvious, when things go downhill, die-hard, “What, me worry?” optimists may discover they harbor a hidden Achilles’ heel. Blind faith optimism is a fragile mental bubble in a world teeming with sharp experiential edges, leaving one ill-prepared to handle life’s tough challenges. Granted, in…
Prior to the pandemic, the AMA determined the lifetime prevalence of self-reported depression among physicians approximated the general population at 13% of males and 20% of females. Since the pandemic, several studies, including in Frontiers in Psychiatry, found significantly increased rates of depression (73%) among critical care physicians. According to the NIH, pre-pandemic, physicians experienced…
According to the CDC, mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in America, and physicians are not immune. Still, doctors are more reticent to seek mental health care than the general population, in part due to concerns over confidentiality, licensure, job security, and professional image. Some physicians may be more comfortable sharing their…