Guilt for moral distress

😰 This still causes me guilt--and sometimes shame.

🙏🏽 Thank you to an attendee from yesterday's event at Parkview Health. She gave me a new perspective on the zero visitor policy that #hospitals enacted during the pandemic.

Groundhog Day

😂 Who remembers this movie? Extra points if you comment the name of the character in the hat.
📆It's Groundhog Day! If your job feels like this, you might be experiencing #burnout!

#groundhogday #groundhog #billmurray #roboticatwork

Bucket List Day!

🎉 Bucket list day!!

😁 I coach burned out professionals to create a bucket list. That might sound crazy. "I am emotionally exhausted, darkly cynical, and questioning the meaning of my life. And you want me to make a bucket list!?"

✅ Yes!

🤗 Why? Because it reminds us that we have value. It's okay to have desires and do more than just survive. Making a bucket list can also be a healthy distraction from occupational overwhelm. It shift my focus to joy, connection, and hope.

Ben Nemtin is an inspiration for many to overcome depression and listlessness by creating a bucket list. His hashtag#bucketlistjournal has inspired me.

🏀 Today I am crossing off another bucket list item as I recover from #workplaceburnout. Two of my adult children, Levi and Daniel Riecke, are traveling to Bloomington to see the Indiana University Men's Basketball team live in action.

☀ Looking forward to days like today brighten my spirit and remind me that I am more than just a job title.

🙏 Special thanks to Raymond Dusman, MD, MBA, a good friend who provided the tickets for us!

❓ What's on your bucket list? Comment below. Maybe someone will see your comment and help you check it off!

#onepercentmorehuman

Medicine, a hard pill to swallow

💊 "Everyone is taking something for their mental health these days."

But not me.

Nope, I made it to my mid-forties. I had never been depressed, anxious, or needed medication.

Until

At 44 years old, I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety.

But strength, spirituality, and maturity were my shields. Despite my doctor's suggestion of an #SSRI, I was convinced I could navigate this without medication.

I was wrong.

Months later, after hitting my lowest point, I confronted the darkness within.

It was time to humble myself, and I called my doctor. That week marked the beginning of my journey with mental health medication – no quick fix, no instant relief, but a path to healing.

Admitting my need for help doesn't diminish my strength, spirituality, or maturity. In fact, it might be the bravest step I've ever taken. 💪

#MentalHealthJourney #BreakingTheStigma #StrengthInVulnerability

Agoraphobia

😶 I am still overcoming agoraphobia.

⚖ During the pandemic, when staying in became the norm, I found solace in the rules. Events were canceled, and I adhered more closely than most.

🎉 It was disheartening to witness others gathering and flouting guidelines while I was writing policies on crucial issues like scarce medical resource allocation.

Even as lockdowns lifted, healthcare maintained restrictions, and the sense of crisis persisted for me. COVID wasn't over. Daily stats (admissions, infections, and deaths) were a constant reminder.

😟 The cumulative effect of ongoing restrictions, moral distress, and burnout birthed a fear of leaving the house - agoraphobia took hold.

Some days, I managed; others, I sought refuge.

As I've said, depression is more than emotional; it's physical. Agoraphobia is no different. The anxiety is palpable. Kristen Riecke, an extrovert's extrovert, became my social support - not a new role in our 25-year marriage.

🤔 Before passing judgment on a colleague's "absence," consider the unseen battles they might be facing.

#mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthmatters #healthcareburnout #agoraphobia