PVMA Keystone Veterinarian Fall 2021 - 17

Breaking the Stigma
of Mental Health
By Jenn Bornkamp, DVM
According to World Health Organization
(WHO), 450 million people have mental
or neurologic diseases globally. One in
5 people has some degree of mental
health disorder (MHD). A 2014 study
in veterinarians showed that 9% had
severe psychological distress, 31% had
depressive episodes, and 17% had
suicidal ideation. An additional study in
dental, medical, and veterinary students
in the UK revealed that 30% of the
students had symptoms of depression.
About 50% of individuals with MHD do
not seek treatment. Furthermore only
1 out of 5 people being treated are
comfortable talking about it. With the
suicide rate in our profession rising and
MHD possibly not being addressed, it is
important to make seeking treatment and
discussing it a normal topic for discussion.
Why is talking about MHD such a taboo
topic?
There are perceived misconceptions
and stigma associated with MHD.
Unfortunately, this can be a demotivating
factor for many people in pursuing care.
Some of the misconceptions about
individuals with MHD include:
* It is a weakness
* They can just get over it
* It never goes away or gets better
* It's their own fault or they are going
to blame their family
* My employer/educator can have
access to my records
* People with mental illness are
violent
* Medication will interfere with my
daily functions
None of those statements are true.
Mental health disorders can develop due
to genetics, family history, concurrent
disease or injuries, or life experiences
including traumatic events, stressful jobs,
or home lives. Treatment takes a lot of
individual strength, courage, and patience
as an individual works with the therapy
team. Medical records are protected
by HIPAA and your privacy is protected
like any other health condition. Most
MHDs do not cause violence in people.
Medication is not always necessary
or recommended but is a decision an
individual makes with the therapy team.
Stigma can be a huge demotivator for
trying to seek care. The perception of
seeking treatment for mental health is
that there will be a stigma, prejudice, and
discrimination, which can lead to:
*
*
*
Decreased hopefulness
Low self-esteem
Increased anxiety or depression
symptoms
* Work issues
*
Decreased likelihood of staying
with treatment
As a person diagnosed with an MHD over
15 years ago, I have been lucky to have
access to counselors throughout that
time. There have been times when work
pressures and schedules prevented me
from taking time off for routine therapy.
My job became a higher priority than my
own mental health and self-care, and my
work performance suffered. The constant
stress/anxiety almost caused me to walk
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Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association | 17
PVMA Keystone Veterinarian Fall 2021

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