Just like the rest of the American public, a percentage of physicians have mental health issues. In the same vein, substance abuse has been a problem for physicians for decades. A recent article on Medscape Medical News delves into the facts and figures and reports on physician mental health.
The main message of the article is that “one in ten physicians sought mental health or substance abuse care over a 19-year period…with demand rising sharply during the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic.” The greatest increases involved care for anxiety disorders and “Adjustment reactions.”
Canadian researchers in Ottawa looked at 30,000 physicians and the reasons given for health care visits. Overall, 11% of physicians had at least one outpatient visit for mental health or substance use during the 19-year period. In the pre-pandemic years (2003-2019), 12% of physicians sought mental health, but during COVID the rate increased to 14.6% in 2020-2021 and to 15.2% in 2021-2022.
Some specialists were more in need of services than others. Psychiatrists led the specialties with a whopping 28% who needed help. Family physicians had only 14%, and 10% of physicians in other specialties were affected. Anxiety and mood disorders were the biggest problems pre-COVID, but during COVID, mental health visits for anxiety increased. The percentages aren’t huge, fortunately, but it’s not surprising that psychiatrists lead the way. They take care of patients whose sense of reality is skewed, are emotionally unstable, and who see and hear things no one else sees or hears. That might disrupt anyone’s sense of reality.
Dr G’s Opinion: This article highlights a subject that gets little public attention. Mental health issues affect even physicians. They should be treated and not ignored. Doctors are significantly self-reliant, and should seek help sooner rather than later. Substance use/abuse becomes a problem which has legal ramifications and can lead to loss of license. Mental health problems are common and more prevalent since the COVID-19 pandemic. Self-awareness is important to prevent mental health issues from having damaging effects.
Reference: Brooks, M. “Physician Mental Illness and Substance Abuse: New Findings” Medscape 2025 November 24.
