Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
School of Medicine, University of Mostar, Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Vet Res Commun. 2024 Aug;48(4):1991-1997. doi: 10.1007/s11259-024-10385-1. Epub 2024 Apr 26.
In veterinary medicine, the relationship between empathy and mental health presents a complex and important aspect of professional well-being. Veterinarians are frequently exposed to numerous work-related stressors and are therefore more likely to experience mental health disorders and commit suicide. Due to the specific nature of the profession, veterinarians deal with negative patient outcomes, inform owners of unfavourable news, handle heavy workloads, and professional isolation. Psychological stress is a result of all these factors coming together, and it can lead to anxiety, depression, burnout, and even frequently reported suicide. Animal euthanasia has been recognised as a unique professional risk factor that can have harmful psychological effects on veterinary professionals.This paper explores the role of empathy in the mental health of veterinarians and other veterinary staff, and how this might contribute to their vulnerability to psychological stress and suicidal ideation. Empathy plays an important role in interpersonal interactions, while also influencing human-animal relationships, which adds a whole new level of complexity to the doctor-patient dynamic in this field. Veterinarians are responsible for providing compassionate care for both the animals they treat and their owners. They must manage the emotionally demanding work while preserving their mental health by balancing between providing empathetic care and sustaining their own emotional boundaries. To alleviate the negative effects of psychological stress, veterinary professionals require interventions such as peer support groups, stress management training, and mental health support programmes.
在兽医领域，同理心与心理健康之间的关系呈现出专业幸福感的一个复杂而重要的方面。兽医经常面临许多与工作相关的压力源，因此更有可能出现心理健康障碍和自杀行为。由于该职业的特殊性，兽医会面对负面的病患结果，向主人告知不利的消息，处理繁重的工作量，以及职业孤立。所有这些因素的综合作用导致了心理压力，从而可能导致焦虑、抑郁、倦怠，甚至经常报告的自杀。动物安乐死已被认为是一个独特的职业风险因素，可能对兽医专业人员产生有害的心理影响。本文探讨了同理心在兽医和其他兽医工作人员心理健康中的作用，以及这如何导致他们容易受到心理压力和自杀意念的影响。同理心在人际互动中起着重要作用，同时也影响着人与动物的关系，这为该领域的医患动态增添了全新的复杂性。兽医有责任为他们治疗的动物及其主人提供富有同情心的护理。他们必须在管理情感上要求很高的工作的同时，通过平衡提供同理心关怀和维持自己的情感边界来保护自己的心理健康。为了减轻心理压力的负面影响，兽医专业人员需要干预措施，如同行支持小组、压力管理培训和心理健康支持计划。
