Because of their position as healers, society surrounds physicians with an aura of invulnerability. Doctors, however, can experience depression even as they appear to function competently. Worse yet, the doctors themselves may not recognize that they have depression. In addition, feelings of failure as well as the stigma associated with psychiatric illness within the profession contribute to the reluctance of physicians to seek professional help.

Physicians Living With Depression is a 30-minute videotape designed to help doctors see the signs of depression in their colleagues and to alert psychiatrists to the severity of the illness in their physician patients. The tape cmprises two 15-minute interviews with actual physicians with depression—an emergency physician and a pediatrician. The physicians describe their symptoms, the precipitating events in their lives, their treatment, and the reactions of their families and colleagues to their illness. A discussion guide for use with medical students, physicians, and their families accompanies the videotape.

This videotape is must viewing for medical students, doctors, and their families as well as medical school deans, directors of training programs, licensing board authorities, and mental health professionals.

Reviews
“[The] honest, in-depth interviews [of two formerly depressed physicians] will enable all in the health professions to understand our responsibilities to ourselves and each other. Together with the discussion guide and Dr. Michael Myers’ extraordinary professionalism, many physicians’ lives can be improved and hopefully rescued. Every medical school and all its students, residents, faculty, and staff should be required to watch together.”—Leah Dickstein, M.D., Professor and Director, Division of Attitudinal and Behavioral Sciences, University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky