Doctors, Depression, and Disclosure: A Conversation About Stigma
In this powerful and deeply personal episode, we sit down with Dr. Jeff Druck, an emergency medicine physician and Vice Chair for Faculty Advancement, Transformation, and Wellbeing at The University of Utah. Dr. Druck shares his experience with depression, including the months it took him to recognize that something was wrong, and the painful reality of having suicidal thoughts. He sheds light on the stigma that continues to silence many healthcare professionals and explains how his drive to continue practicing medicine ultimately kept him going.
Dr. Rachel Davis, psychiatrist at University of Colorado Anschutz and living liver donor, also opens up about her own experiences with OCD and depression, discussing the cultural and professional barriers that made it difficult to seek help. Together, they explore the complex intersection of burnout and mental illness, and the very real fears clinicians face about potential repercussions on licensure when they disclose a diagnosis.
Adding another dimension to the conversation, Anastasia Henry, Executive Director of the American Transplant Foundation and co-host of the Transplant Talks podcast, shares her insights into burnout among nonprofit professionals. She highlights the emotional toll of mission-driven work and the silence that often surrounds mental health challenges in the nonprofit sector. Anastasia emphasizes the importance of proactive stress management strategies.
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This episode also touches on a disheartening reality: after reaching out to over 100 transplant professionals, not one felt safe enough to publicly share their own struggles with depression or other mental illness. Why is it still so hard to talk about this?
We dive into what needs to change—how to truly destigmatize mental illness in medicine and nonprofit work, and what institutions can do to support medical students, nonprofit professionals, and practicing clinicians alike.
💚If you are interested in sponsoring and episode, reach out to Delaney@americantransplantfoundation.org
https://drlornabreen.org/removebarriers
https://www.fsphp.org/physician-suicide-prevention-resources