{ UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY VETERINARY MEDICINE }
THIS IS TRUTH
By Steve Lucero, USU School of Veterinary Medicine
these resources continues to decrease as their While veterinarians learn early benefits become increasingly evident. in their training about the imporThe American Veterinary Medical Assotance of managing the burdens of ciation (AVMA) has taken incredible steps in their academic and occupational recent years to encourage veterinarians to acworkload, maintaining a healthy cess wellness resources that contribute to not work-life balance and managing only personal well-being, but also to profespersonal stress are too often the sional success https://www.avma.org/Profesfirst self-care tactics to be sacrisionalDevelopment/Personal/PeerAndWellficed to important deadlines or urness). The AVMA emphasizes approaches that gent occupational demands. include healthy and consistent exercise, sleep The negative impacts of and eating, balancing work and play, managing chronic stress are numerous and “A”s to more effectively combat alcohol use, developing psychological well-beinclude increased symptoms of and reduce stress: avoid, alter, acing, and spending plenty of time playing with depression, anxiety, relationship cept, or adapt (http://tinyurl.com/ your own pets. Research cited on the AVMA problems, burnout, compassion Mayo-stress-management). Conwebsite emphasizes how mindfulness and fatigue, decreased job and persider avoiding peosonal satisfaction, and inple or environments creased mortality. While that sap more energy many veterinary schools than they provide. across the country are “OF COURSE OUR APPROACH OR While saying “no” to integrating mental health OUR OPINION IS THE CORRECT ONE! a constant barrage practitioners, mindfulSOMETIMES…SOMETIMES…IT’S NOT of requests is a skill ness-based stress reducdeveloped over time, THE ONLY CORRECT ONE.” tion practices and other saying “no” sometimes self-care programs into allows you to more their curricula, many vetcompletely commit erinary students and clia “yes” to invitations meditation contribute to lowered blood presnicians may feel reluctant to use that are most in line with your persure, decreased resting heart rate, heightened these resources or were never sonal and professional values and to problem-solving abilities, increased motivation exposed to them in their training. give them enough time and attention and productivity, and less frequent illness and The stigma related to accessing to increase the likelihood of success. pain. Exercises like progressive muscle relaxWhen situations cannot be avoided, ation, purposeful deep breathing meditaperhaps they can be altered by comtion, rhythmic movement, body scan municating your internal response guided visualizations and urge more clearly or advocating for your surfing are all easily “Gooown limitations in committing to the gled” and resources can be project. Striking the right balance downloaded in mp3 or between being too passive and too mp4 formats for practice aggressive results in the healthiest in between clients, on assertive response that preserves the way to or from work, self-respect without intruding on the or during short breaks dignity of the person requesting your throughout the day. time and effort. When things cannot The Mayo Clinic be altered, learn to accept situations suggests that veterthat are beyond your control by ventinarians may benefit ing frustrations and vulnerabilities to from using the four
2016 Fall/Winter
9