Mdedge Psychcast

William Lynes, MD, joins guest host Michael F. Myers, MD, to discuss his struggles with medical and psychiatric hardships, his suicidality, and the eventual suicide attempt that changed his life. Dr. Myers is professor of clinical psychiatry, State University of New York, Brooklyn. Dr. Lynes, a retired urologist, author, and speaker/advocate on physician burnout and suicide, divides his professional life into two distinct eras: 1987-1998, during which he had a successful practice and happy life, and after 1998, when he spiraled downward medically and psychiatrically. After meeting another physician with a similar experience who had published her story of burnout and mental health struggles in 2015, Dr. Lynes decided to speak out. Eventually, he published an essay about his experience in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Take-home points Being open with close colleagues or supervisors about mental health struggles and/or burnout can provide a much-needed lifeline to struggling physicians. Addressing burnout an