Sparrow
Member
Hello all,
Has anyone ever noticed, or had an awareness that people working in the mental health field have a higher rate of mental illness than the general population?
Perhaps it takes one to know one? Do not misinterpret, I do not mean to be condescending in the least.
So much of the time when I read an article, magazine, blog, or book, I find the author (any gamut of mental health professional, psychologist to social worker) has experienced a form of mental illness. Forget the best sellers, even in my community I have known of mental health professionals that have just "lost it".
Heck, a distant cousin of mine who was an established psychiatrist committed suicide 20 years ago.
I suppose some have had an illness, and then followed academia (personal experience being a notch on their belt) with noble sincerity. But what about vice versa?
Police, firefighters, anyone, we are all prone to job trauma. For all I know, there is a mental health professionals support group somewhere.
This is just an overall observation I've had for years. And it is with all due respect that when I see a ... "T" in any form, they are non the less just as human and fragile as I may be.
Has anyone ever noticed, or had an awareness that people working in the mental health field have a higher rate of mental illness than the general population?
Perhaps it takes one to know one? Do not misinterpret, I do not mean to be condescending in the least.
So much of the time when I read an article, magazine, blog, or book, I find the author (any gamut of mental health professional, psychologist to social worker) has experienced a form of mental illness. Forget the best sellers, even in my community I have known of mental health professionals that have just "lost it".
Heck, a distant cousin of mine who was an established psychiatrist committed suicide 20 years ago.
I suppose some have had an illness, and then followed academia (personal experience being a notch on their belt) with noble sincerity. But what about vice versa?
Police, firefighters, anyone, we are all prone to job trauma. For all I know, there is a mental health professionals support group somewhere.
This is just an overall observation I've had for years. And it is with all due respect that when I see a ... "T" in any form, they are non the less just as human and fragile as I may be.
