Why is the Suicide Rate of Vets So High?

Comparing veterinarians to people in other professions leading to suicide so quickly factors are a very important issue.

What’s going on end their lives Are they getting to a point where they want it?

Surprisingly, the suicide rate among veterinarians is much higher than we expected.

In general, the suicide rate among people working in any branch of medicine is twice as low as veterinarians. Researchers trying to determine why this rate is so high in veterinarians first tried to see the reasons for this: observed numerical data.

According to CVMA National Research Results in 2012, 19% of people working in this profession worldwide seriously considered suicide, unfortunately 9% had attempted suicide before.

For example, when the death records of 11,620 veterinarians who died in the USA between 1979 and 2015 were examined, the rate of deaths due to suicide was significantly higher than the normal population.

While the suicide rate is much higher for female veterinarians than for men, these suicides are generally firearms and drug poisoning It was sourced. Considering these rates, it becomes inevitable to try to understand what causes veterinarians to die so much.

In general, many reasons can be given for people to attempt suicide.

The most common of these are; Environmental factors such as depression, some mental diseases, hereditary and undesirable life events, and alcohol and drug use stand out. When it comes to veterinarians, these specific factors are not clearly established but to some extent Foresee possible.

Investigative DJ. Bartram and D.S. According to Baldwin, the most prominent of these are; personality factors, problems in the education process, professional isolation, work-related stressors, Attitudes and psychological reasons towards death and euthanasia. Let’s expand on these reasons behind veterinarians’ desire to end their lives.

Veterinarians, to whom we entrust the lives and health of our animals, tend to be perfect in what they do, and this perfectionism can negatively affect their psychology.

On the other hand, getting a veterinary education requires high academic success and the ability to achieve it, cope with it and Effort to overcome this difficult training Actually It can put the veterinarian candidate in a difficult situation.

In addition, many veterinarians state that they cannot get advice from their colleagues when necessary in their private practices, and therefore, The potential for professional error is high thinking.

Even though veterinarians work within certain working hours, they are of course required to intervene in animals in some emergencies. have to return to their clinic late at night They can stay. Such situations cause them to work long hours and suffer from burnout syndrome or depression.

In addition to all these, veterinarians are as fond and sensitive about animals as pet owners. When animals suffer or cannot recover for various reasons, it also affects their psychology. Therefore the impact of emotional exhaustions, disappointments, and temporary or permanent depression They may fall under it and thus suicide may become inevitable.

We recommend that you consult a specialist at the first opportunity for psychological support.