The Clinical Advisor for beyondblue, Associate Professor Michael Baigent, was joined by Professor Patrick McGorry and leading mental health experts this week speaking at the Flinders School of Medicine on Mental Health in Medicine: A seminar on mental wellbeing in medicine.

I was in the car and heard the report on radio. The discussion was about the suicide rate among doctors which, based research of 90 studies from around the world, is higher than in the general population. By way of explanation Professor McGorry said “Stigma and I suppose lack of awareness and mechanisms like denial are stronger actually amongst the medical profession, which is very worrying.”

When asked how the stigma could be broken down he said, “In a way the same thing that needs to happen with the whole community, just to basically have these issues spoken about much more freely.”

From my soapbox I speak so much about suicide I’m in danger of preaching.

Talking, trying to be supportive and accepting of various perspectives. I am following Professor McGorry’s advice and speakly freely (writing) and trying not to preach.