| Dr. Jai Maharaj 2004-10-07, 4:08 am |
| Stressed-out docs are dying young
By Radha Sharma & Paul John
Times News Network
Wednesday, October 6, 2004
Ahmedabad/Vadodara - When the Ahmedabad Medical
Association (AMA) recently went on the lookout for
octogenarian doctors to felicitate them, they could find
only two. The medical fraternity is concerned that more
and more doctors are dying young. "Doctors are under
tremendous stress. Many of them have died at 35-45 years
of age which was unheard of ten years ago," confesses
Indian Medical Association (IMA) former president
Jitendra Patel.
The tables, obviously, have been turned on those who
don't tire of advising patients to remain stress free.
High blood pressure, diabetes, depression, cardiac
problems and a host of lifestyle-related disorders are
commonplace among overworked doctors, a majority of whom
work upwards of 14 hours a day to stay ahead of cut-
throat competition.
"There has been a five-fold jump in the number of doctors
suffering cardiac problems, most of them being a fallout
of constant stress. I recently did a cardiac procedure on
a 30-year-old doctor," says cardiologist Tejas Patel.
A 33-year-old gynaecologist from Unjha, Bharat Patel,
collapsed in his consulting room because of cardiac
problems. "Stress is killing doctors. There has been a
drop of at least 10 years in the doctors' lifespan.
Currently, the average age of death as per the social
security scheme of the association is 58-60 years. It was
68-70 years a decade ago," says AMA ex-president Abhay
Dixit.
Such is the concern that stress amanagement workshops are
now being held across the state to keep those in the
business of managing health in good health. Mukesh
Trivedi, a stress management specialist and president of
IMA's Vadodara chapter, organises special sessions.
"I have realised that doctors, especially those working
in highstress environments like intensive care or
emergency, are most vulnerable." Trivedi recalls that in
his recent workshop for doctors, all 42 participants had
symptoms indicating alarming levels of stress.
"The worst thing is that no one is ready to slow down,"
says psychiatrist Hansal Bhachech, who has been
prescribing 'office yoga' and meditation for the doctors.
"Over 80 per cent doctors are suffering from stress but
they do not heed their own advice. We have a mini-gym for
doctors to exercise but hardly anyone uses the facility,"
says Sterling Hospital medical superintendent Bharat
Gadhvi.
However, many doctors have learnt the lesson. "Stress
happens when you do work you have to do and not because
you like to do it. I enjoy my work and I also exercise,"
says cardiologist Sameer Dani who puts in 14 hours of
work a day.
Cardiologist Parvinder Singh, for instance, likes to hit
the expressway in his sports car. "The best way to deal
with stress is to be aware of it the moment it strikes
you," he says.
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peace, but a sword.
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the
daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in
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"And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
- Matthew 10:34-36.
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