Secret to finding happiness is closer than you think
Back in 2018, the CDC performed a study that looked at over thirty years of records from over eleven thousand veterinarians who passed during that time, and they found that female veterinarians where 3.5 times more likely to commit suicide, and males and 2.1 times more likely.
As a young, soon-to-be-veterinarian, these statistics hurt my heart on many levels and leads to many questions that everyone is wondering but all leads back to – why? Why are veterinarians committing suicide? I think the answer to this, for everyone who passed this way, is different, but the overall themes seem to overlap quite vividly. The biggest overarching cause looks to be from emotional exhaustion and compassion fatigue. How could this be? To the public, being a veterinarian is one of the most respected and trusted professions of all – but it is not always an easy job.
Thousands of pets are seen every day across the country, everything from new puppy exams, yearly check-ups, to traumatic events and euthanasias. Veterinarians are constantly jumping from extreme emotional highs (new puppies) to extreme lows (euthanasias), often within minutes and in the room right next door. It can get draining and exhausting when your weeks are filled with these ups and downs, day after day, week after week, year after year, to the point where some colleagues felt like there was no other way out. Now there are also compounding factors, such as the average high debt load, compiled with salaries that are not even close to our human physician counterparts, much to the public’s disbelief, which makes repaying those loans even heavier. Another factor is the shortage of veterinarians, so we are constantly being asked to work late, work longer weeks, and give more and more of ourselves until there isn’t anything left to give.
Now the reason we become veterinarians is because we obviously love animals, and we love the challenge of being a voice for our voice-less patients. We are people with high capacities for empathy, compassion and great knowledge. We are doctors, advisors, counselors, clinical pathologists, radiologists, surgeons, and more, all wrapped in one white coat. We try our hardest day in and day out to save as many lives as we can, even though some don’t make it. We trained for many years to be able to save the furry family members each one of us hold so dear.
I want our colleagues to know that there is always a way and that there are people that can help you. I want them to know that it is okay to not be perfect, even when you try your hardest, sometimes the results we want isn’t what we get. I want to know that it is okay, and more importantly – necessary – to take time off, to recharge. This profession is so near and dear to use because it is the epitome of what we worked for our entire lives – but you don’t have to give your life for this profession. You don’t have to sacrifice your happiness for this profession, you are worth more than just your DVM.
As veterinarians, so much value is placed into the letter acronyms listed after our names, with some individuals going on to acquire more letters to provide a plethora of specialized knowledge to their patients. While these accomplishments are extremely meaningful, you are more than your acronyms. You are talented in other areas unrelated to veterinary medicine, you have family and friends who love you. Place value in things other than our profession, such as your mental, physical and spiritual health. Take time to nurture other parts of you that have nothing to do with being a veterinarian and find value and worth in those people and experiences.
Most of all, reach out to someone if you are struggling, we are here for each other, and no other lives need to be lost for the sake of a job. No other lives need to be lost for pride. No other lives need to be lost for you are worth more than that. You are worthy of a life you want to live. You are worthy of being happy – even if leaving the profession is what you need to do, either temporarily or permanently. Your happiness is worth being alive for, whatever that looks like for you, you will always be an amazing veterinarian.