Why physicians may be hiding their depression

Ninety percent of physicians said they have experienced either clinical or colloquial depression in Medscape's "Physician Burnout & Depression Report 2024" released Jan. 26.

However, physicians may be unlikely to share their depression with their peers, friends and family. Fifty-seven percent of both male and female physicians said they think confiding in other physicians about depression isn't a practical idea.

Here are the reasons why physicians said they might not tell anyone about their depression: 

1. People might doubt their abilities as a physician: 44% of respondents
2. Medical board or their employer could find out: 42%
3. It makes a negative statement about them personally: 40%
4. People will think less of them: 37%
5. They consider depression to be a weakness: 21%
6. Other: 8%