Mental Health in Vet Med | NOMV

PLEASE NOTE: this episode includes discussion of mental health struggles, burnout and suicide. If this isn’t the right time for you to listen, skip the episode and go straight to the resources below.

Need help now?

If you need urgent support or want to find a crisis helpline in your country, use the website linked below. It lists free helplines available around the world by topic and location:

FIND SUPPORT HERE → https://findahelpline.com/

In this episode, Dr. Lottie is joined by Gigi Tsontos from Not One More Vet (NOMV) to talk about mental health in veterinary medicine.

They discuss why vet med can be so uniquely challenging, why new grads and students can especially struggle, how to support yourself and what to do if you’re worried about a friend or colleague.

NOMV is a veterinary mental health organisation that provides support services, education and outreach for veterinary professionals, support staff and students. The organisation was founded following the suicide of veterinarian Dr. Sophia Yen, and it has grown into an incredible support network for the whole veterinary community.

If listening to this episode has brought anything up, please do not sit with it alone. Call a friend or a loved one, contact a helpline or use any of the resources below to find support that works for you.

National crisis lines and emergency services are available in many countries and the FindaHelpline website can help you find the right option for you.

Find us on TikTok & Instagram: @veterinaryvista

Timeline:
00:00 Intro
02:19 What is NOMV?
08:34 Vet Med & Mental Health
26:15 What Can I Do For ME?
44:25 What We Can Do For OTHERs
55:15 Recognising a Supportive Environment
57:29 Emergency Situations
01:03:06 Quick Questions
01:05:51 Outro

Links and Resources

• NOMV provides amazing resources for mental health support, education and peer support: https://nomv.org/
• Lifeboat is NOMV’s peer support space where you can chat with other veterinary professionals: https://lifeboat.nomv.org/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23489853794&gbraid=0AAAAAB19bsSv1S-aPZQzSsmp0hJzjn8BO&gclid=Cj0KCQjwm6POBhCrARIsAIG58CJUbc3Q6OV_5JZI0fKfSSzDsVP3EeExzSP5hd83R8S-enDRoo6zvpoaAt6iEALw_wcB#/
• The peer support page has different resources and services available for anyone in the veterinary field: https://nomv.org/peer-support/
• CLEAR blueprint is NOMV’s workplace certification program which helps vet teams improve wellbeing in their practice: https://nomv.org/clear-blueprint/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23489836055&gbraid=0AAAAAB19bsRCvDPVyKqkWqwKVIKYw-BI8&gclid=Cj0KCQjwm6POBhCrARIsAIG58CI1U9c7qhTxaoFp-Svq3fnbrtKZbaceQE6eMzoX9_XrHDNmEGzTQJgaAurDEALw_wcB
• QPR stands for Question, Persuade, Refer; it’s a suicide prevention training that teaches individuals how to recognise warning signs and offer help to those around them. Visit their website if you’re interested in learning more: https://qprinstitute.com/
• For listeners in the UK, VetLife has a 24/7 helpline for vets and the mental health charity Mind has some great resources: https://www.vetlife.org.uk/ https://www.mind.org.uk/
• For US listeners, the suicide and crisis lifeline is 988: https://988lifeline.org/

Email: vmhs@nomv.org