‘We’re human too’: GPs highlight mental health struggles

Across the country, GPs have stepped out in their wildest, most colourful socks as part of Crazy Socks for Docs Day, an initiative designed to break down stigma around mental health for both patients and doctors.
 
Proudly wearing his own brightly patterned socks, RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said the day serves as a vital reminder of the mental health challenges faced not only by patients but also by the medical professionals who care for them.
 
‘Crazy Socks for Docs Day is an opportunity to raise awareness of the impact of mental health, which is among the top three most common types of presentations for seven in 10 GPs,’ he said. 
 
‘That’s only increased in the last decade, with around one in five Australians experiencing a mental health issue each year.’
 
Dr Wright highlighted the key role GPs play as frontline providers of mental health care, noting that around 80% of those accessing mental health services last year did so through their GP.
 
However, the college President is quick to point out that the day is also a reminder that doctors themselves often struggle silently with mental health concerns.
 
‘We and our practice team members wear crazy socks to remind each other that while we might not see it or show it most of the time, doctors, care team members, and our patients should feel safe and supported to seek mental health care when we need it,’ Dr Wright said.
 
Observed annually on the first Friday in June, Crazy Socks for Docs Day was founded in 2017 by Dr Geoff Toogood and inspired by the Melbourne cardiologist’s own experiences with depression and anxiety.
 
RACGP Tasmania Chair Dr Toby Gardner echoed the importance of the day in encouraging open conversations about mental health among doctors.
 
‘They suffer mental health issues just the same as the rest of the population, or even more so in most instances, with high rates of mood disorders and substance use disorders and so forth, than a lot of other professionals,’ he told newsGP.
 
‘Though people often just see us as the caregivers and people who provide mental health care, we’re in need of it too and we’re also really bad at asking for it. So, it’s a day to highlight that we’re human too and that it’s okay to ask for help.
 
‘It’s okay not to be okay sometimes.’
 
However, Dr Wright warned that mandatory reporting laws create a significant barrier, discouraging many doctors from seeking the help they need.
 
‘GPs, just like anyone else, should have the right to receive confidential help and treatment like anyone else, without fear of repercussion,’ he said.
 
‘There’s clear evidence mandatory reporting laws make GPs wary of seeking essential healthcare.
 
‘Laws that discourage GPs from accessing mental health care don’t protect patients.’
 
Mandatory reporting laws have been in place across Australia, with the exception of WA, since July 2010, and require all registered health practitioners to report another practitioner if they believe they have a health condition – often related to mental health or substance abuse – that could impair their ability to practice safely.
 
However, a report from a 2009 Senate inquiry discouraged the then proposed law, with WA the only state to heed the recommendation and adopt a treating practitioner exemption.
 
A study exploring the impact of health impairment allegations against doctors, published in the Australian Journal of General Practice in 2023, backed the concerns that emerged from the Inquiry. It found that doctors subjected to regulatory processes often experience distress, symptom relapse, suicidality, financial pressures, and work difficulties.
 
It also confirmed that many doctors avoid seeking care and report poor health as a result.
 
Dr Gardner said it can be hard enough for doctors to come forward if they need help without facing the threat of being reported to AHPRA.
 
‘That’s just a further barrier to people seeking care for things that they really need so they can continue to care for their patients,’ he said.
 
Meanwhile, Dr Gardner also highlighted that doctors in rural areas face additional threats to their mental health posed by workforce shortages and social isolation, along with having additional barriers to seeking and accessing care.
 
‘In rural areas – and Tassie is a big regional area with lots of rural outposts – the workforce pressures are higher, so the workloads are obviously higher,’ he said.
 
‘It’s often shared between one or two people who are providing all the cover and it’s also made worse by the social isolation of being in these rural areas.
 
‘Mental health is worse when you’re isolated and it’s just hard to access services also in some of these areas. A lot of these rural areas don’t have great access to mental health professionals like we have in the cities.’
 
The RACGP encourages GPs to seek mental health support when they need it, and offers members a range of self-care and mental health resources, including a free telephone counselling support program.
 
GPs and students can also access confidential support through the Drs 4 Drs service, which is an independent service staffed by trained psychologists and counsellors.
 
‘If you’re a GP and you need mental health support – help is available,’ Dr Wright stressed.
 
‘Don’t hesitate to seek out the care you need.’
 
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