Healing the healers: Mental health in the veterinary profession

The National Suicide Hotline can be reached at 988.

On this week's episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, in recognition of National Suicide Prevention Month, our host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, is joined by Annika VanNoy, PhD, senior director of talent and learning at Thrive Pet Healthcare, to discuss mental health in the veterinary profession.

VanNoy delves into how workplace culture can either support or undermine mental health. She also offers practical advice on creating a positive work environment, recognizing distress signals, and accessing crucial resources.

Below is a partial transcript

Adam Christman, DVM, MBA: What sign should colleagues and employers look for to identify when a veterinarian or even a clinical support staff member might be struggling and how people around can help?

Annika VanNoy, PhD: I wish, in my dream [universe], everybody in the veterinary space would be QPR certified. I think in terms of signs, just what you mentioned we have a different couple different categories. We have to direct verbal cues where we you know, someone will say something like, 'Oh, I just want my life to be over, [or] I just want to end this, or I wish I wasn't here.' And then we have some more indirect verbal cues around maybe 'I just can't go on anymore' or 'I wish I wasn't waking up tomorrow.'

And then, you know, the next category, this is where your case falls, enters the behavior cues that, you know something just changes. Maybe it's a change of mood, and that can be being reclusive, as you described, but it could also be the opposite, that someone is suddenly very frustrated or has anger outburst. Because in a way, really, what's happening is that the emotions that are happening or the feelings that are happening within that person, they try to come out right? And that's either shutting down or coming out maybe through anger. So really listening to your gut, right? I think that's what it comes down to. If you think something is not normal for that person, that's probably a good indicator that there could be something going on.