Overview

In medicine, it can be tempting to draw a clear line between patient and health practitioner, between the individual requiring care and treatment and the one offering it. But what happens when the clinician is the one facing a mental health challenge? For decades, psychiatric illness has been stigmatized within the medical community, casting those who seek treatment as weak and incapable of practicing effectively. This compelling and illuminating new volume pushes back against that outdated perspective. Dr. Michael F. Myers, who in his career has treated more than 700 medical professionals, gathers dozens of candid and heartfelt accounts from physicians and medical students. These first-person narratives exemplify courage, resilience, and self-compassion, while offering practical clinical pearls. The book is divided into four sections that offer valuable insights into several areas of lived experience: • A history, dating back to the nineteenth century, of physicians who openly discussed their experiences with mental illness and treatment • A new generation of physicians, including psychiatrists, who share their lived experiences and provide clinical guidance to their peers • The urgent need to advocate for healthy change in the medical community, highlighted through powerful firsthand accounts of suicidality and suicidal ideation • The clinical wisdom that can be drawn from personal narratives Throughout the book, ""Lessons Learned"" distill clinical takeaways and suggestions from both Dr. Myers and the interviewees. Case examples from Myers's own clinical experience further illustrate important observations and key principles. The authenticity and honesty of the accounts gathered here aim to challenge stigmas and enrich the reader's clinical toolkit with new information, fostering a renewed respect for patients' narratives, heightened experiential empathy, and professional humility.

Full Product Details

Author:   Michael F. Myers, MD (Vice-Chair Medical Education and Director of Training, SUNY Downstate Medical Center)
Publisher:   American Psychiatric Association Publishing
Imprint:   American Psychiatric Association Publishing
Dimensions:   Width: 15.20cm , Height: 1.60cm , Length: 22.90cm
ISBN:  

9798894550947

Pages:   272
Publication Date:   28 February 2026
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   In Print  
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Table of Contents

Foreword Author's Statement Beginnings and Important Notes Part I: Pioneering Courage Chapter 1. Historical Shared Stories: Braving the Medical Culture Chapter 2. Confronting the Stigma of Homosexuality in Medicine: The Legacy of John Fryer, M.D. Chapter 3. Making a Way: Psychiatrists Sharing Their Stories at APA Meetings Part II: Inspired to Share Chapter 4. In Our Present Time: Insights from Psychiatrists Sharing Their Stories Chapter 5. Turning the Tide in Medical Culture: Why Now? Part III: Advocating Healthy Change in the Medical Community Chapter 6. Breaking Silence: Survivors Confront the Stigma of Suicide Chapter 7. Narratives of Psychiatric Illness: Physicians in Training Chapter 8. Narratives of Psychiatric Illness: Physicians in Practice Part IV: Guidance for Clinical Practice Chapter 9. Implications for Clinical Practice: Caring for Physicians Chapter 10. When a Physician is Your Patient: Key Takeaways Chapter 11. Remaining Challenges and the Path Forward Appendix. Resources

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Author Information

Michael F. Myers, M.D., is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn, New York.

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