Physician suicide during the COVID-19 pandemic in Iran: Journal of Psychiatry and Neurological Sciences

ABSTRACT

Residents, in particular, should have access to mental health services for early detection and treatment of mental health illnesses, as well as self-help resources. Professional group meetings, as well as additional education about mental health disorders and burnout among physicians, avoidance of self-medication, and measures to overcome physicians' perceived shame while addressing their illness, would be helpful, in addition to standard mental health care. Fortunately, some preventive strategies were implemented early in the pandemic, including programs to promote mental health and address job burnout for healthcare workers, as well as Balint groups, which, while now mostly online, can offer valuable life-skill training to resident doctors for stress management (6).