So let me preface this opinion/discussion with a few disclosures: I BELIEVE THAT CORONAVIRUS AND COVID-19 ARE REAL; I follow news sources that provide factual information regarding coronavirus and COVID-19; I believe in the ever-changing scientific evidence and data regarding coronavirus and COVID-19; I believe in measures that help mitigate the spread of coronavirus such as but not limited to WEARING A MASK; and I believe the State of Wisconsin is currently up shit creek regarding COVID-19 infection rates, hospitalizations, and deaths. OK, that said, let’s continue (and if my above listed disclosures make one uncomfortable then I suggest one refrain from reading any further).
Being a student dentist, in general, kinda sucks. Dental school has always kinda sucked and it might always kinda suck (yeah, I hated dental school…I think I may have turned hating dental school into an art). And with that student dentists (and even practicing dentists long graduated from dental school) have always been at high risk for suffering from mental illness. I have lived through and continue to live with mental health issues (I have PTSD). And, yes, I unfortunately have had to live through losing student dentists and dental colleagues to suicide.
But it’s my opinion that this year is PARTICULARLY HARD to be a student dentist. Heard of this thing called coronavirus? Complete disruption of everything we ever viewed as normal. There isn’t anything that isn’t forking weird right now. Everything is FORKED UP!!! And then we throw in the stress of dental school?! Quite possibly it’s a complete recipe for some dark and tough days. I’ll say it again: being in dental school during this time of coronavirus is, in my opinion, STUPID HARD!!! Let’s not sugarcoat it. Students, staff, and faculty are all under tremendous EXTRA pressure due to coronavirus. There was a tremendous amount of pressure on all of us BEFORE coronavirus but our pressures have grown exponentially as we struggle with the ever-tightening grip of this forking pandemic (not to mention political and civic/social strife which likely are being fueled by this forking pandemic).
Due to the coronavirus there are enormous extra pressures on ALL student dentists like never before including but not limited to: shortened lab time; early morning practice sessions; late night practice sessions; not enough time to get work done (and certainly NO time to redo work should something go awry); heightened expectations for perfection from faculty; social isolation; worry regarding another COVID school shutdown; worries about catching coronavirus and falling WAY behind in school; worry about not having enough skills acquisition to pass practical/PBCE/Board exams; missing family; missing friends; missing being able to participate in activities that were curtailed due to coronavirus scares; anxiety about social justice issues; anxiety regarding political issues; anxiety about the economy (especially if a student’s family has been hit by the coronavirus economy); anxiety about family members becoming ill; anxiety about friends becoming ill; anxiety about not seeing enough patients/having enough clinic time; anxiety about graduating on time; anxiety about tuition increases; anxiety about the possibility of not being able to become a dentist; and I can go on and on. And I have sensed anger, despair, distress, worry, anxiety, hopelessness, and a general malaise like never before from most of my student dentists and this gives me a great deal of concern. We are only a month and a half into Fall Semester and we have a ways to go (and the tough stuff ain’t even hit yet).
Yes, I am sensing a great amount of anxiety, depression, and panic emanating from my student dentists. Anxiety, depression, and panic are insidious foes. They make you feel defeated and this is only heightened in over-achievers also known as student dentists. And mental illness is an illness like any other illness that knocks us away from living life to its fullest. I go to my MD to get my asthma treated when it knocks me on my ass. And I have the strength to go to my MD and my therapist to have my panic attacks/PTSD treated when they knock me on my ass. I should not be and am not afraid/embarrassed to admit that I am suffering from a mental illness. Yet many folks are afraid to admit to and/or seek care for mental health issues as there may be a perception that our society does not accept mental illness as REAL and, worse, may stigmatize mental illness. But my wish and my hope is that folks can and will rise above any perceived stigmas our society has assigned to mental health issues. I am Danish and Denmark is empirically the happiest country on the planet. Denmark’s happiness comes from many different sources but Denmark doesn’t stigmatize mental illness: Denmark embraces mental illness and treats it effectively and its people are empowered to live wonderful stigma free lives. We Danish Americans are arguably one of the smallest ethnic minorities in the USA because ya gotta be nutz to leave Denmark. And I believe with all my heart that student dentists who suffer with and through mental illness may be the strongest people I know as it takes SO MUCH energy and fortitude and courage to succeed at dental school AND push through the massive struggles of mental illness.
So what can we do about mental health issues amongst student dentists right now and into the future (hopefully a COVID free future)? Here are some of my brainstorming thoughts (and they’re not in any particular order and this list will likely expand with time):
I believe we constantly need to nurture a community-wide belief within our dental schools that suffering with mental health issues is OK and NOT a sign of weakness.
I believe we constantly need to educate/re-educate student dentists regarding the signs and symptoms of mental illness.
I believe we need to empower student dentists to recognize mental health issues within themselves AND/OR within their student colleagues.
I believe we need to constantly provide student dentists with up-to-date mental health information/resources. This can include but not be limited to: web addresses that provide relevant and pertinent information and help; phone numbers that student dentists can call for help; utilization of on-campus organizations that work to promote mental health (such as Active Minds); utilization of on-campus counseling and health centers; pamphlets; flyers; etc.
I believe we need to empower and maintain a student run mental health and wellness committee that can be in constant communication with their student dentist colleagues.
I believe we need to train several student dentists to be able to intervene in a mental health crisis (for instance, Johns Hopkins University offers a certification in Psychological First Aid which allows practitioners to help triage and stabilize patients who are in the grips of a psychological crisis).
I believe we need to empower faculty and staff to recognize mental health issues within our student dentists.
I believe we need to train several faculty and staff to be able to intervene in a mental health crisis (Johns Hopkins University’s Psychological First Aid).
I believe we need to train and empower student dentists to contact designated, trained, and trusted student colleagues, staff, or faculty during a mental health crisis.
I believe student dentists need a safe forum to gather to discuss mental health issues especially with fellow student colleagues. This forum should empower students to believe that they are not alone, that they are not suffering in silence, and that others are suffering alongside them. This forum should be a community where suffering students can learn to share and trust each other and work together to overcome the challenges of mental illness. This forum can also include outside-of-school activities that nurture mental health such as group nature hikes, outings, etc.
Life is worth living well and I believe we all can work together to achieve a life lived well.
And maybe that’s enough for Saturday October Seventeenth, 2020. Stay safe, stay healthy, keep the Faith, and please help your neighbors. We’re all in this together. We can go the distance. Don’t stop believing.
Doc's Writing Refuge 