I take a lot of what I see out there and find ways to make it "vet med" relatable. You can do that with almost anything. Well, that was what I did here. Suicide is a common concern in this country. As you know, it is an even more common concern in this field. So, is there a way we can stop it? I'm here to tell you, YES!
They all seem pretty easy to do. However, it takes persistence and perseverance to see real change.
Educate yourself & others
Do you know what to look for in someone who is at risk for harming themselves? Has your clinic offered you training on how to handle someone at risk and how to direct them to the appropriate people? Suicide training should be in EVERY clinic. It should be an annual training. Did you know this training is actually out there? I didn't until yesterday. Literally, yesterday.
This training is FREE. Click the link to sign up. We are not affiliated - we just want everyone to have the best possible resources out there.
Increase Help-Seeking
The biggest challenge in this field is feeling like you are never allowed to take time off. We put others before ourselves until we break, physically & mentally. I know because this was me. I'm sure this is a lot of us. Clinic owners and management need to allow their staff to take mental health days. If someone is in need of help, they need to feel like they are "allowed" to do so. They need to feel supported. There should be a board with local mental health resources, and the Suicide Lifeline number so they can connect with the appropriate people.
Access our list of Crisis Hotlines here. They are listed alphabetically by country.
End The Stigma
One of my most favorite hashtags, #EndTheStigma. There is a giant stigma with mental illness and suicide. The stigma is that it is all for attention seeking purposes; they want to get out of work, they are being selfish, it's always about them. This type of thinking invalidates their feelings and reduces their willingness to seek help. Which in turn leads to veterinary suicides.
We need to STOP this type of thinking. We need to be supporting our coworkers and staff, instead of passing judgement. We won't be saving lives with this type of behavior. The clinic will always be there. Your staff member may not.
Donate!
Donating is so much more than money. It is your time, experience, stories, support, and hope. This is why we are doing the Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk with The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. To raise money for further suicide prevention research, to raise awareness, and to do it for those whom we have lost in this field to suicide. Every little bit counts. Hopefully one day we will be a nonprofit organization where we can raise funds for the veterinary community ourselves. Until then, if you want to join us, click here.
Advocate
Last but not least, advocate! This is why this group exists. We have an awesome team of Admin that dedicate time out of their lives to help us advocate and spread awareness. Liking, sharing, and tagging others in posts help promote platforms such as ours. We have been blessed to have such amazing followers and supporters to help spread our word. It doesn't stop here! Keep doing what you're doing. Never stay silent about what you believe in and advocate for. Your voice will be heard.
Veterinary suicide WILL stop. I believe that in my soul. I will fight for it until my last breath.
xoxo,
Shena Humbert, LVT
