Ep 7: Let's Talk About Veterinary Suicide

Normally on Blunt Dissection, I put a person under the spotlight. But in this episode, I decided to place a subject there instead. And since you can’t ask a subject questions I’ve invited two experts onto the show to share their stories. The people are Dr. John Dooley & Dr. Nadine Hamilton and the subject is suicide in veterinary professionals. John and Nadine have two contrasting perspectives on this morbid issue and together they share their personal and professional insight into the depressive state that leads to suicide. Plus they have some fantastic advice on what can be done to prevent veterinary professionals from falling into this overwhelming mental chasm. In today’s show we learn: The story of how one Aussie vet let past traumas in his life lie dormant for years until one day the emotions boiled up into his conscious and created “serpents in his mind” leading to a complete mental breakdown, depression and a very near miss with suicide. How he managed to pull through and was able to build a mental health management process that has helped him to maintain a great life, such that he now sees his ordeal as a positive experience. The signs and steps that usually mean some one is running in the danger zone. Practical steps you can take to maintain your own mental health as a veterinary healthcare professional (not just vets). Think meditation, time management, self-awareness and positive psychology… This episode was a goldmine of insight and I felt so grateful to have the chance to speak to both John and Nadine. So buckle up, listen in and take notes. It’s not an exaggeration to say that doing so may one day save your life.