Talk me off the ledge folks! (not you hoosierdoc, you're worse off than me)

[SmileDocHill]

7 Jobs with the highest suicide rates.

7 Jobs With the Highest Suicide Rates

The scientist in me wonders how much the data is skewed because the first 2 on the list have the means and knowledge to do it right? Not that most people don't but if you made it through dental or medical school and can't find a way to kill yourself...well, that probably says a lot about why your life is so stressful.

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

I was surprised to see 5 of those jobs on that list. Next time I see my dentist I will be sure to thank him by not eating garlic in the month before.

 

[chocktaw2]

The first four take most of our $$$$$$$$$

 

[jamil]

Electricians? Really?

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

Electricians? Really?

Really, how many of those are suicides and how many are a result of a guy not paying attention while in close proximity to high voltage?

 

[CHCRandy]

That's weird......I know a couple of electricians who were good friends and took their own life, never made this connection though, no pun intended.

 

[HoughMade]

#4....but I didn't think drinking yourself to death really counted as suicide.

 

[churchmouse]

I call Bravo Sierra on the electrician suicide reasoning.

HVAC/Refer techs spend as much if not more time around intense magnetic fields. Especially refrigeration techs.

The only thing that made me want to eat my gun was "X" #1.....She was a treat.

 

[SmileDocHill]

seriously, on the very first day of dental school they spent an hour talking about stress management seeking counseling and the stress of being a dentist vs going to dental school for the sake of mental health. We'd here supposedly statistics about being in the top 2 or 3 in suicide rates but that was before you could look things up on Google so easily and confirm so it was all hearsay. personally it sounded like typical college or graduate school battle where everyone played up how much harder their major was than everyone else. Later I learned there is something to it.

 

[HoughMade]

seriously, on the very first day of dental school they spent an hour talking about stress management seeking counseling and the stress of being a dentist vs going to dental school for the sake of mental health. We'd here supposedly statistics about being in the top 2 or 3 in suicide rates but that was before you could look things up on Google so easily and confirm so it was all hearsay. personally it sounded like typical college or graduate school battle where everyone played up how much harder their major was than everyone else. Later I learned there is something to it.

Doc,

I don't want to generalize, but I've represented a lot of dentists over the years...it's how I "cut my teeth" in the malpractice defense game. Dentists are some interesting cats. Had a client who used to perform oral surgery in running shorts...really short shorts. I had a client who had 7 or more Harley Davidson logos on him at any one time...while seeing patients. These included socks, watch, bracelet, T-shirt, lapel pin on coat and 2 different ear rings.....he was 67 years old at the time, with a mullet.

This is a real quote from a dentist client of mine right before we walked into the courtroom for a small claims case:

"Jim, I think this is going to be a good year. I feel good about this case. I've about got that IRS thing taken care of and the wife is off the crack."

 

[hoosierdoc]

I think a lot of it is access to drugs for doctors and dentists. I know three nurses personally who have killed themselves in the last three years.

SmileDoc, We can do a Thelma and Louise sorta thing

 

[pudly]

Where are you going to find a cliff in Indiana?

 

[indykid]

I would have expected being in the military rating high on that list.

That would have really scared me as my future son-in-law is a trauma surgeon in the Air Force!

 

[HoughMade]

Where are you going to find a cliff in Indiana?

Clifty Falls.

 

[Bennettjh]

I call Bravo Sierra on the electrician suicide reasoning.

HVAC/Refer techs spend as much if not more time around intense magnetic fields. Especially refrigeration techs.

The only thing that made me want to eat my gun was "X" #1.....She was a treat.

It's none of my business but is that the "ex" that sold your El Camino while you were gone?

 

[jamil]

Where are you going to find a cliff in Indiana?

You must be thinking northern Indiana. I have a good place in mind to run a car off of that would definitely make the news. Of course they'd have to run the car through a rich guy's lawn first, but the crash would be noteworthy.

 

[88GT]

seriously, on the very first day of dental school they spent an hour talking about stress management seeking counseling and the stress of being a dentist vs going to dental school for the sake of mental health. We'd here supposedly statistics about being in the top 2 or 3 in suicide rates but that was before you could look things up on Google so easily and confirm so it was all hearsay. personally it sounded like typical college or graduate school battle where everyone played up how much harder their major was than everyone else. Later I learned there is something to it.

I don't mean to imply that the job isn't stressful. I'm sure it is, in its own way, much like mine or anyone else's. But I don't see where dentists share the stress that MDs do. Is it really that bad? When was the last time you held someone's life in your hands because you had to make a certain decision or specific, precise action? Again, not downplaying the job you do, just trying to understand.


As a corollary to that, I would like to see the break down of who in the 'physician' cohort is committing suicide. I would bet money it is heavily skewed toward ER docs, surgeons, pediatric specialties, and a few others.

 

[HoughMade]

People who would voluntarily spend their days fingers covered in the saliva of near strangers may have questionable decision making skills before they earn a DDS.

 

[88GT]

People who would voluntarily spend their days fingers covered in the saliva of near strangers may have questionable decision making skills before they earn a DDS.

See, that's what I'm thinking. They were nuts before they got the DDS.

 

[mbills2223]

88GT, I can't speak for DocHill, but I can tell you that any job in healthcare is extremely high stress. And to varying degrees, all healthcare providers have patients lives in their hands. That's not even considering the changes that are happening in healthcare currently to add to the stress.