Acknowledging mental illness in psychiatrists

Abstract

As a doctor you can never forget. Over the years you become a palimpsest of thousands of painful, shocking memories, old and new, and they remain with you for as long as you live. Just out of sight, but ready to burst out again at any moment.

Suicide risk assessment: time to think again?

“…Few if any of these pressures are mitigated by traditional 'risk' assessment. A 'blame culture' adds further trauma to the substantial load already carried by psychiatric staff (Mac Suibhne et al 2017).…”

“…A ‘blame culture’ adds further trauma to the substantial load already carried by psychiatric staff (Mac Suibhne et al . 2017).…”

“…Dissatisfaction has also been articulated by clinicians concerned about the burden of psychiatry and its effect on cliniciansʼ mental health (Mac Suibhne et al . 2017). There have been calls for a complete ‘rethink’ of psychiatry’s attitude and response to patient suicide (Lancet Psychiatry, 2020).…”

Obituary: Dr Séamus Mac Suibhne (Sweeney) (1978–2019)

“…Séamus's other contributions and co-authored papers concerned a dizzying array of topics including psychiatric liaison with primary care [18], 'vampirism' as a mental illness [19], translation and interpretation in psychiatry [20,21], synaesthesia [22], 'new' mental illnesses such as solastalgia and hubris syndrome [23,24], various aspects of psychiatric medication [25,26], bibliotherapy [27] and the work of Nicholas Culpeper, a seventeenth-century English physician, herbalist, botanist and astrologer [28]. Séamus devoted particular attention to the need for better acknowledgement and management of mental illness among psychiatrists [29].…”