Hello everybody, my dear friends.

The #MásPlazasPIR platform shared last week a very interesting new published in diario.es: “Cantabria recorded 46 cases of young physicians attended by mental health problems and addictions in 2014”.

The Medical Organization College estimates that in Spain, between 10 and 12 percent of physicians in exercise can suffer throughout his/her professional life a mental disorder or an addiction to alcohol and other drugs.

Malpractice, labour disputes or change of job are some of the problems.


The Programme of Comprehensive Care to the Sick Physician (PAIME) estimates that about 4000 doctors have attended in Spain (Catalonia, Andalusia and Madrid are the three regions with the highest prevalence).

In recent years those affected have increased between 31 and 40 years (23%), while the age group most affected is between 51 and 60 years, with parity between men and women.

The beginning of the residency (which is a tremendous change of life), stress and failure in life expectancy are determining factors.

“Being a doctor is a profession of risk, especially in the affective and emotional areas, and everything that is considered as mental health”, and “When mental health deteriorates or is subjected to the dictatorship of the alcohol or drugs, doctors as well as patients end it paying” comments the President of the Medical Organization College , Juan José Rodríguez Sendin.

If we ask for to the reasons of income, mental disorder has been the main reason for the demand for admission to this program (63%), followed by problems of alcoholism (15%), having a dual pathology (11%) and drugs (9%). Making a clinical diagnosis, the greater number of cases relates to the consumption of alcohol and other substances (26%), followed by disorders of mood (25%) adaptive disorders (19%), anxiety (11%) and personality disorders (8%).

With an approximate cost of 710,000 euros per year, this is a pioneer program in Europe.

Therefore we insist that we should take care of the caregiver and seeking for help when is necessary. And this is another good reason why we need more psychologists.

Happy Thursday,
Gabi