Out of the shadows: mental health of physicians in Germany – a narrative mini-review

Abstract

Burnout, depression, and suicide are major problems among physicians that can significantly impact patient care. This project aimed to gather studies and evaluations concerning the mental health of physicians in Germany through PubMed and websites of the government and large medical associations, with a focus on psychiatrists and compile those in a narrative mini-review. A pre-pandemic study by the “Marburger Bund” found that physicians were overwhelmed by workload and felt that extended working hours were damaging their private lives. According to this study, around 15% of physicians underwent psychiatric or psychotherapeutic treatment due to work-related mental issues such as exhaustion or depression. During the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the occurrence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among physicians was substantially greater than before the outbreak. A minimum of 76% of trainees questioned by the “Hartmannbund” expressed that their professional workload had a detrimental impact on their personal lives. Going back to the study of the “Marburger Bund”, physicians tend to trivialize their psychological issues and describe them as not severe enough to seek help. A general program for preventing mental disorders or helping physicians to deal with stress does not exist in Germany. Some attempts have been made to rectify this, however not all programmes are in effect yet. In conclusion, burnout and depression are major problems among physicians in Germany that require further attention and support. While some efforts have been made to address these issues, more needs to be done to provide comprehensive support for the mental health of physicians. There is a major lack of information about the well-being of trainees in terms of mental health in Germany and no systemic approach or help program for physicians struggling with their mental health.