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Did you know that between 300-400 doctors in the United States take their own life each year? Male physicians commit suicide at a rate 70% higher than the general population and the suicide rate for female physicians is 250-400% higher. Overall, 10% of medical doctors admit to contemplating suicide within the last year. Despite these statistics, state medical boards and physician accrediting agencies sometimes sanction doctors who seek help. Margot Savoy, Senior Vice President of Education for the American Academy of Family Physicians says, "As long as you can lose your career by seeking mental health care, there will be physicians who will not seek care until they are forced to by crisis. If we want to support our physicians, we must begin by protecting them and allowing them safe spaces to receive care without retribution or punishment."
First Responders face similar problems. Law enforcement officers and firefighters are more likely to die of suicide than in the line of duty. The life expectancy for firefighters is 10 years less than the life expectancy of the general population. Richard R. Johnson of the Dolan Consulting Group cites statistics showing that the average law enforcement officer lives only an average of 6 years beyond retirement. While the average life expectancy in the US is about 78 years, law enforcement officers have a life expectancy of only 66 years. EMS providers are almost 40% more likely to die of suicide than members of the public at large. Telecommunicators, usually the first contact with emergency services, face similar issues, with 17-24% showing symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and 24% dealing with symptoms of depression.
People in crisis often seek help from a pastor or spiritual guide but these helpers, too, are staggering under the weight of burdens they carry. Barna Research reports that one in five Protestant senior ministers has contemplated suicide or self-harm within the past year and 59% of ministers report having experienced depression during their ministry career. Lifeway says that 72% of ministers report significant feelings of loneliness and isolation, but pastors are 50% less likely than the general population to seek professional support for their mental health issues. Steve Sjogren quotes the late business guru, Peter Drucker: "You know Steve, over the years I have made a career out of studying the most challenging management roles out there. After all of that I am now convinced the two most difficult jobs in the world are these--one, to be President of the United States, and two, to be the leader of a church like yours..."
Part of the problem stems from the mindset of the helpers themselves who often view stress as "part of the job" and see themselves as "rescuers," not as those needing help. They don't want to burden others and intuitively understand that many people would not know how to respond if they heard doctors, police officers or pastors admit weakness. Many of those in the helping professions also believe that they would be negatively judged by their colleagues if they showed signs of mental or emotional distress. Unwilling to ask for help, these folks try to "go it alone" in their struggle.
That doesn't work! At the time of Creation, God himself acknowledged that human beings needed one another. Genesis 2:18 (NIV) records, "The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." When Jesus sent his disciples out for ministry, He sent them in pairs. The Apostle Paul, facing death in a Roman prison, begs Timothy to come quickly to his side: "Do your best to come to me quickly, for Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus to Dalmatia. Only Luke is with me..." (2 Timothy 4:9-11).
No man is an island; we all need the presence and help of others. Peer support programs and critical incident debriefings after stressful encounters have proven valuable in helping the helpers with their struggles. Good friendships, however, have been shown to be as effective as professional assistance in dealing with mental health issues. Those in the helping professions often just need to be able to "let down their hair" and admit to someone that they are normal people with their own set of problems. They need someone they can trust to just listen and care.
Would that be you?
Mark Wilmoth is with Pinehurst Christian Church in Marietta and can be reached at Minister@PinehurstChristianChurch.org