Suicide rates among fresh graduate vets are on the rise in the UK, and something must be done. Latest figures released by the British Veterinary Association (BVA), show that the UK’s 22,000 vets have a suicide rate almost four times higher than the national average. Vets, like other medical professions in the UK suffer from exhaustion, long hour, depression and anxiety, and so the rates for suicide are of no surprise; however sad it may be.
Professionals from mental health charities and support groups are recommending for more support to be issues to new graduates looking to study veterinary sciences. A new report released is to advance the radical measures of screening graduates for personality traits which could make them more susceptible to depression, stress and anxiety.
Vetlife, a charity that’s supports vets in the UK with mental health issues, emotional trauma and financial hindrance has issued figures revealing that calls to the 24hour hotline are at record levels, quadrupling in the last three years. Vetlife also found 40% of vets had considered suicide as a means of escape from a difficult occupation.
Findings by the BVA unfortunately show that lethal injections were the most common method of suicide; associated with being ‘put down’, a common procedure for the welfare of sick animals. Professor Halliwell of the BVA has commented that ‘you’re dealing not only with life and death of animals, but you’re dealing with people who either have significant commercial or financial involvement with those animals or, alternatively, are very emotionally attached to them. So, you have a dual problem of coping with the animals and coping with the people, which can be very stressful’.
Veterinary studies are one of the most popular degree courses in the UK, and so colleges and universities must ensure graduate safety when enrolling on the course, in order to commit to the job and to achieve at no cost of their mental wellbeing.
Dr Rosie Allister, who works for Vetlife Helpline has commented:
‘It is a great job and can be very rewarding but it can be difficult because of the workload and culture of being an omni-competent vet who can handle any problem on their own’.
Vetlife has issued 60,000 stickers with details about Vetlife can do for you at controlled drugs’ cupboards at the nation’s 5,000 vets’ practices. Dr Allister who also works at the University of Edinburgh as a researcher in veterinary mental health and wellbeing added that ‘we are starting to find vets equating themselves with veterinary values. Some vets say if I was a dog I’d put myself to sleep’. And the nature of becoming a vet unfortunately means you leave university with approximately £100,000 student debt after studying for five years, not to mention the majority never earn more than £32,000 a year.
So, if you’re in a situation where you have recently qualified as a vet, and you’re struggling with a work-life balance, stress, and anxiety and depression, fear-busters has many ways in which EFT can help you relieve some of the symptoms.
Lauren Rosenberg at Fear-Busters is a qualified EFT practitioner and trainer and understands that stress is bad, and so offers a modern stress management (MSM) course to deliver positive results when you’re feeling rough.
Modern Stress Management has discovered that high, positive energy improves performance, and the higher your energy, the more you will improve. As part of a workshop or programme, fear-busters MSM course could offer the following:
- Accurate stress assessment
- New and improved information for real people who are suffering and crumbling under the stress of day-to-day life
- New and advanced, fast techniques such as EFT which can be learnt and adopted anywhere and everywhere, whenever you need it most
What Lauren at Fear-Busters will do is work with you to create practical methods of coping with your stress. Each management programme will be unique to the individual and designed specifically for your needs. In doing so, fear-busters will help you achieve and transcend new targets and goals.