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Brian and an equine companion. |
Suicide is a major problem
for the veterinary profession. I’ve always taken it seriously, but last year
six people I know died by their own hand. Some were vets, one was a dedicated
nurse/wildlife carer. Some I knew well, others were acquaintances. It was
absolutely shocking and really knocked me sideways. It knocked everyone around
them sideways. The loss, the lack of explanation, the
what-if-I-had-seen-this-coming, the endless mental re-enactments of final
desperate moments. I’d always listened, but suddenly I understood on a new
level why people like Dr Brian McErlean campaign tirelessly for suicide
prevention.
Brian was born in Ireland, “in
great antiquity”, he says, and competed a veterinary degree at Trinity College
Dublin. He then spent 33 years in mostly mixed practice and was a director of
Westralian Drug wholesale company until they were taken over by Provet. Brian
is currently a Trustee of the AVA Benevolent Fund and a Veterinary Surgeon’s
Board inspector in WA.
You are a former veterinarian dedicated to suicide prevention. Can you tell us a bit about your career as a vet?
You are a former veterinarian dedicated to suicide prevention. Can you tell us a bit about your career as a vet?
My father was a veterinarian
but had left practice to be a university lecturer by the time I was born. I
started practising in Ireland in 1978 as a cattle veterinarian and then went to
mixed practice. In 1981 I settled in Perth and built a large 13 vet practice
with the help of 6 partners. Four years ago I retired from it at 56 years of
age. My interests were extremely varied over the years from practice management
to equine stud work to piggery consultancy to small animal practice and lots in
between.
We
hear about stress and vets a lot. Why is being a vet so stressful?
It depends on the individual
and what stresses them. I remember asking the veterinarians I worked with what
stressed them and they all said something different. For me it would be working
on my own as I am not very technical.
Most veterinarians are
stressed by long working hours, work pressure, difficult clients, management
issues and performing euthanasia.
We
know the stats about suicide – a veterinarian is four times more likely to take
his or her life than just about anyone else. Why is this?
In the US if there is a gun
in the house it increases the suicide risk at least 3 times. Our gun in the
house is the lethal drugs we are surrounded by. Add to this untreated
depression and other mentation issues such as isolation and feelings of
worthlessness and you have the picture.
We
talk about suicide prevention, but many vets would not identify themselves as
being suicidal. What can we do to reduce the risk of stress escalating to the
point of suicidal ideation?
Chronic unrelieved stress
can commonly contribute to depression. Untreated severe depression puts an
individual at high risk of self harm.
Not all veterinarians that suicide are depressed and not all those with severe depression are suicidal so the picture is not simple. In the general population 90% of those that take their lives have a diagnosable mental condition.
You have to determine your
own stressors and deal with them. Shortening working hours, increasing pay and
getting a work/life balance should help. Avoid relationship breakdown if you
can. Males that divorce are high risk especially if children are involved.
Do
you live with any non-human animals? Can you tell us a bit about them?
When the boys grew up and left
home we did not replace our dog so we could travel. We do have two alpacas in
the back paddock.
What
are three things each of us can do to improve the wellbeing of ourselves and
those around us?
- Exercise vigorously 2-3 times a week.
- Get Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet (flaxseed or fish) as your body does not make them and they are great for brain nutrition.
- Stay connected to the “tribe” [For example, one could join the Australian Veterinary Orchestra- ed] and do community or voluntary work.
I personally believe that
much that ails western society relates to loss of tribe. The horse belongs in a
herd, the dog in a pack and the human in a tribe. Cats developed as solitary
desert creatures and most of us are not cats.
What
kind of resources are needed to continue the successful programs you’ve been
running?
We need steady funding to
keep the suicide prevention message going in perpetuity. It is okay to talk
about suicide but not about the means. As long as veterinarians are surrounded
by lethal substances and have mentation issues such as depression we have to
keep pushing them to help through education.
Thank
you Brian. Support is available to anyone who might be distressed by phoning
Lifelife 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue 1300 22 46 36.