Many physicians suffer in silence even when the local medical associations make significant efforts in creating physician health programs. Why is this?

Well there are several reasons.

1. Generally the only help that is thought to be available comes from the local medical associations and/or the licensing bodies.

2. The physician health programs offered by these bodies are proactive largely to the point that they try to detect physicians at risk. The thrust to provide courses and seminars on well being rather than detection of illness is still sadly lagging behind. This is often due to insufficient resources and to the illness mind set of treatment that the medical establishment is still is stuck in.

3. Within the medical mind set psychotherapy or counseling is often one of the mainstays of treatment. Unfortunately most physicians find this inherently threatening because most have a defensive posture towards self reflection, feeling and sharing their deeper feelings and more importantly in disclosing private and personal matters with the very establishments that could impose undesirable conditions on their licensure.

4. There is a deep mistrust and fear of turning to one