Doctor suicides in Tallaght

chanste

Surprised how little attention this got in the news.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/hospital-offers-counselling-over-doctor-suicides-3319836.html

I've never been to Tallaght hospital and don't know the doctors concerned, but this is sad, and if it is because of stressful jobs I thought it should get more attention.

ThatDrGuy

Full cover-up in progress in case some-one mistakenly ties the suicides to the illegal working hours the hospital forces SHO's to work. Two of my class mates have killed themselves already. Such a tragic waste. Please anyone if your feeling depressed or over whelmed just walk away. There is life beyond medicine.

Robroy36

So sad. Rest in peace. Nothing is worth that.

sillymoo

Terribly sad.

Roselm

Thanks for posting this. I hadn't heard anything about it.

RobFowl

Far to many suicides at the moment. Some well respected and liked health care proessionals local to me have died this way recently.
It's such a sad way to go and leaves behind emotional havoc.
RIP and hope that the publicity will presuade those going through similar problems to seek help.

Anthony16

ThatDrGuy wrote: »

Full cover-up in progress in case some-one mistakenly ties the suicides to the illegal working hours the hospital forces SHO's to work. Two of my class mates have killed themselves already. Such a tragic waste. Please anyone if your feeling depressed or over whelmed just walk away. There is life beyond medicine.

Hey,May i ask if their suicides were likely related to the crazy hours?
Its amazing the pressures young students are under to get into medicine and then u have to deal with this when u qualify.My parents are like this with my brother.Constantly pressuring him to do medicine.Hes doing the leaving now and the pressure has caused him to be really quick tempered and emotional

opinion guy

ThatDrGuy wrote: »

Full cover-up in progress in case some-one mistakenly ties the suicides to the illegal working hours the hospital forces SHO's to work. Two of my class mates have killed themselves already. Such a tragic waste. Please anyone if your feeling depressed or over whelmed just walk away. There is life beyond medicine.

Rather than cover up I suspect they are sparing families feelings.

That said - anyone know if there are any figures for suicides amongst medics in Ireland ?

ThatDrGuy

Anthony16 wrote: »

Hey,May i ask if their suicides were likely related to the crazy hours?
Its amazing the pressures young students are under to get into medicine and then u have to deal with this when u qualify.My parents are like this with my brother.Constantly pressuring him to do medicine.Hes doing the leaving now and the pressure has caused him to be really quick tempered and emotional

They didnt make them illegal because they were good for you....
Tallaght (like most hospitals) flouts the law regarding working hours in this country. People are left with enormous workloads and forced to work crazy hours. It really messes with your head. I used to go home after a 36 hour job destroyed, drank too much, ate too much, smoked too much passed out in a stupour and did it all agan a few days later. Social life is destroyed, you become passive and anxious and generally fu*ckedup. I dont know what led to these sucicides but I know from personal experience what contributed. No articles condeming it, not a mention in the media, our union washes its hands of us. A general ah sure isnt it terrible and crocidile tears. But nothing ever changes, no one does anything and no one gives a damn.

sam34

Anthony16 wrote: »

Hey,May i ask if their suicides were likely related to the crazy hours?

folks, out of respect to those who died and to their families, please don't start speculating on causes/precipitating factors/rumours you heard etc.

thanks.

MedHead100

Not sure of the exact statistics, but the leading cause of death in female physicians under 40 is suicide.

opinion guy

MedHead100 wrote: »

Not sure of the exact statistics, but the leading cause of death in female physicians under 40 is suicide.

Source ?

Xeyn

Im a doctor at Tallaght and to be fair I think suicide in general is something we keep mum about due to respect for the family (unless the family themselves go to the papers) and the fact that suicide rates go up after media highlights individual suicides.
It may have something to do with giving those who have suicidal ideation 'the courage' to do it themselves.

mitosis

In fairness, I saw that story on RTE news, so it has been reported.

Xeyn

opinion guy wrote: »

Source ?

Suicide Rates Among Physicians: A Quantitative and Gender Assessment (Meta-Analysis)
Eva S. Schernhammer, M.D., Dr.P.H.; Graham A. Colditz, M.D., D.P.H.

Conclusion:
Studies on physicians’ suicide collectively show modestly (men) to highly (women) elevated suicide rate ratios. Larger studies should help clarify whether female physicians’ suicide rate is truly elevated or can be explained by publication bias.

Also : http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/806779-overview
Estimate of 400 doctors A YEAR commit suicide. Thats staggering.

On a personal level 3 doctors in my class have committed suicide. 2 women and 1 male.
There are many studies out there showing that those working in the medical profession have a higher than average suicide rate.
The exact reasons are debatable.

steddyeddy

I'm extremely surprised this hasn't got more coverage in the media. I have friends who are working in Tallaght hospital and they have closed off since this. They are in bits over what happened.

opinion guy

Xeyn wrote: »

Suicide Rates Among Physicians: A Quantitative and Gender Assessment (Meta-Analysis)
Eva S. Schernhammer, M.D., Dr.P.H.; Graham A. Colditz, M.D., D.P.H.

Conclusion:
Studies on physicians’ suicide collectively show modestly (men) to highly (women) elevated suicide rate ratios. Larger studies should help clarify whether female physicians’ suicide rate is truly elevated or can be explained by publication bias.

Also : http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/806779-overview
Estimate of 400 doctors A YEAR commit suicide. Thats staggering.

On a personal level 3 doctors in my class have committed suicide. 2 women and 1 male.
There are many studies out there showing that those working in the medical profession have a higher than average suicide rate.
The exact reasons are debatable.

Cheers thanks for that.
Hmmm see I wondering - where are the figures on suicides amongst Irish doctors ? You are not the first person to post about classmates. Someone most have stats on medic suicides in Ireland somewhere ?

Xeyn

Not sure about the irish stats to be honest. Someone at work at Tallaght said there has been 10 suicides in that hospital in the last 10 years alone although I have no idea if someone just made that stat up.

iratira

I was once on sick leave and I found, above all else that your peers were the least supportive of your 'weakness'. Perhaps its because they are high achievers or its the culture of no getting cover for you in your absence.
Also consultants bollocked me out of it for not arranging cover for on call in spite of me sending in a certification of 2week recommendation not to work.
Neither medical or hr management bothered to look at my on call rota.
Ultimately some poor nchd colleague had to do double shift when the glitch reared its head.
Medical staff esp. women can be quite cruel and intolerant of one another.
There is a fair bit of bullying goods on esp in intern yr, sho yr.
Rip this lady.

RobFowl

Courtesy of Mick Dolenz in After hours

You are not alone this Christmas.
Suicide should never be an option.It's good to talk.

The first port of call should be to your GP, they will give you the time to listen and refer you to the appropriate health professional.

It's a five minute conversation that may well save your life. If you don't have the confidence just yet to speak with your GP, Contact any of the organisations listed below anonymously. Once you break the silence you may find it is easier to talk about it.

http://www.1life.ie/

http://www.samaritans.org

http://www.shineonline.ie/

http://www.suicideireland.com/

http://www.nosp.ie/

http://www.pieta.ie/

http://www.yspi.eu/

http://www.suicideorsurvive.ie/

http://www.jigsaw.ie/

http://www.teenline.ie

http://www.3ts.ie/

http://www.sosadireland.ie/

http://www.olagola.com/

http://www.console.ie/

http://www.aware.ie/

http://www.metanoia.org/suicide/

http://www.livinglinks.ie/

http://www.niteline.ie

www.mymind.org

http://www.headstrong.ie/

http://pleasetalk.ie/


You are not alone.