Brigitta Robinson, MD, FACS

President, Colorado Medical Society

Mental health has been a theme throughout my medical career, whether it was named that or not. Like many physicians, I learned early that stress was part of the job. Long hours, high stakes, and constant responsibility have always been present – especially in surgery and academic medicine. At the time, we did not talk about mental health the way we do now. 

Over the years, I have seen how those pressures follow us through every stage of medicine. Medical students today face extraordinary levels of stress, not only from the demands of their education, but from the financial burden that comes with it. Residents are learning how to become independent, competent physicians while navigating exhaustion and responsibility. Practicing physicians carry the weight of patient care, administrative demands, and the ongoing challenge of keeping practices open and viable. The stressors change with time, but they never disappear.

What has made mental health such a focus for me is watching colleagues and family struggle – sometimes invisibly. Over the years, I have known physicians who appeared successful, capable, and engaged, yet quietly suffered with depression and ultimately chose to end their lives. When that happens, it leaves an enormous hole – not just in a medical community, but in families, practices, and entire communities. It is a loss that cannot be replaced.

As a trauma surgeon, I have also seen the other side of the mental health crisis firsthand. Patients arrive at emergency departments in moments of desperation, sometimes after trying to take their lives. Too often, there are few safe places for them to go once the acute crisis has passed. That reality reminds me that mental health is not separate from the rest of medicine – it is deeply intertwined with everything we do.

One thing that gives me hope is that mental health is no longer the taboo it once was. We talk about it openly. We hold conferences, create committees, and develop programs focused on physician wellness. Seeking help is no longer viewed as a personal failure, and that shift matters. But the stigma has not disappeared entirely. For many physicians, the hardest step is still reaching out – finding the time, recognizing the need, and believing there is a way forward.

Time remains one of the biggest barriers. Our days are unpredictable and full, whether we practice in rural or urban settings. Rural physicians may worry about confidentiality in close-knit communities, while urban physicians often struggle simply to fit care into already overloaded schedules. In both cases, the result can be the same: putting personal mental health last.

I believe one way forward is to reduce the burden of having to opt in. Programs that normalize routine mental health check-ins – where participation is expected and opting out is the choice – can lower the threshold for getting help. When seeking support is built into training programs, conferences, or workplaces, it becomes part of professional life rather than something that sets a person apart.

At the Colorado Medical Society, we are committed to addressing physician mental health directly. Through strong partnerships with the Colorado Physician Health Program, educational efforts, and ongoing conversations with lawmakers, we continue to advocate for policies that support wellness and remove unnecessary barriers. We are not pretending this problem will be solved easily or uniformly. Mental health is personal, complex, and different for everyone, but ignoring it is not an option.

Physicians are particularly skilled at hiding distress. We are trained to function under pressure, to show up no matter what, and to help others even when we ourselves are struggling. That strength can also become a risk. Depression, especially, can be difficult to recognize – both in colleagues and in ourselves – until it reaches a breaking point.

If you are struggling, the most important message I want you to hear from me is this: you are not alone, and there is a way back. You are important. We need you – not only as a physician, but as a person. You have come too far to face this by yourself.

Mental health challenges can create the illusion that there are no other options. That is never true, even when it feels that way. Taking a pause, reaching out to a trusted colleague, seeking professional support, or simply asking for help can change the trajectory. It may not feel easy, but it is worth it.

Medicine is demanding, and it always will be. But we must continue to create a culture where caring for ourselves is not seen as a distraction from caring for patients – it is essential to it.