As Veterinarians Face Disporporionately High Rates Of Suicide, This Non-Profit Is Dedicated To Providing Unwavering Support For All Vet Professionals
When most think of veterinarians, they may remember the smiling face that greets your pup or feline at the door; the person who goes above and beyond to save your child’s beloved pet.
Tragically, though, many do not know that the seventy-seven thousand veterinarians in the U.S. are also faced with disproportionately high suicide rates, according to a study conducted by the CDC.
“It’s not all puppies and kittens and wonderful experiences. There’s a lot of pain involved,” said Dr. Nicole McArthur, a veterinarian from Rocklin, California.
In analyzing over eleven thousand veterinarian death records, CDC officials found that between 1979 and 2015, nearly four hundred veterinarians took their own life.
Female veterinarians are also three and a half times more likely to die by suicide than citizens of the general population.
And even though people in medical professions have long been known to suffer from higher rates of suicide, veterinarians are forced to deal with an extremely unique set of challenges that can consistently drain mental health.
For example, unlike humans, their patients are unable to talk and explain what is wrong. And even though this might sound similar to what pediatricians face daily, veterinarians’ treatment options are much more limited.
In fact, even if their patient can be treated, veterinarians are often forced to euthanize them anyway simply because caretakers cannot afford the often costly procedures.
And on top of that, veterinarians also often have to deal with being vilified by pet owners.
New Africa – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purpose only, not the actual person
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All of these emotional challenges, coupled with day-to-day responsibilities in the office, have a tendency to impact veterinarians’ emotional states.
“You can say you are going to be stoic and put it out of your mind and say it’s part of being a veterinarian. But, the reality is that over time, that weighs on you,” said Dr. Will McCauley, a veterinarian from Texas.
And on September 28, 2014, the veterinary profession lost yet another beacon of light in the field– Dr. Sophia Yin.
Dr. Yin was a world-renowned veterinarian and behavioral specialist who advocated for the humane treatment of animals.
But, the forty-eight-year-old tragically took her own life in her Davis, California, home.
Dr. Yin’s death shook veterinarians around the world to their core.
But for one named Dr. Nicole McArthur, the tragic loss also sparked a new initiative aimed to help veterinarians combat their all-too-common mental health struggles.
Just a few days later, on October 1, 2014, Dr. McArthur launched a secret Facebook group and invited all of her veterinary friends.
There, she planned to foster an open support forum where vets could discuss their triumphs, challenges, and personal struggles.
Since then, the Facebook group has grown into a non-profit organization known as NOMV– Not One More Vet.
The Facebook forum now has over twenty-six thousand members, and NOMV offers a plethora of help outlets– including peer support, outreach, and awareness– as well as educational programs for veterinary professionals around the globe.
“Many veterinary professionals are in crisis. NOMV provides the necessary support to all members of veterinary teams and students who are struggling or considering suicide. Because you are good enough, and you are never alone,” the non-profit said of its mission.
To learn more about NOMV, the current leader in veterinary mental health, you can visit the non-profit’s website linked here. Or, to learn more about joining NOMV’s Facebook forum, you can visit its Facebook page linked here.
And if you or someone you know is struggling, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available twenty-four hours a day by dialing 988.
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