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Share the Weight Header
Share the Weight Header

Cattle First is no average phrase ​

It’s a declaration of resilience ​whenever the job calls for it. ​Veterinarians answer the call ​to put Cattle First every day.​

 

Share the Weight recognizes the unique challenges faced by those in this profession, and aims to provide mental health resources, support and education to help cattle veterinarians thrive in their careers and personal lives. If we all pitch in and open up, ​this job gets lighter.  

Mental health in veterinary medicine

43% Circle

~43% of veterinarians reported they were “suffering” or “getting by”1 

43% Circle

~43% of veterinarians reported they were “suffering” or “getting by”1 

7.5% Circle

Suicidal thoughts were reported by ~7.5% of veterinarians vs. ~3.6% of U.S.-employed adults1 

7.5% Circle

Suicidal thoughts were reported by ~7.5% of veterinarians vs. ~3.6% of U.S.-employed adults1 

2 in 5 Circle

~2 in 5 veterinary technicians cite compassion fatigue as negatively affecting their careers2 

2 in 5 Circle

~2 in 5 veterinary technicians cite compassion fatigue as negatively affecting their careers2 

43% Circle

~43% of veterinarians reported they were “suffering” or “getting by”1 

43% Circle

~43% of veterinarians reported they were “suffering” or “getting by”1 

7.5% Circle

Suicidal thoughts were reported by ~7.5% of veterinarians vs. ~3.6% of U.S.-employed adults1 

7.5% Circle

Suicidal thoughts were reported by ~7.5% of veterinarians vs. ~3.6% of U.S.-employed adults1 

2 in 5 Circle

~2 in 5 veterinary technicians cite compassion fatigue as negatively affecting their careers2 

2 in 5 Circle

~2 in 5 veterinary technicians cite compassion fatigue as negatively affecting their careers2 

“Well-being is a competency. It takes knowledge, skills and effort. As a professional, it is your responsibility ... to attend to this competency every day and without apology.”

 

Dr. Elizabeth Strand, 

Director, Veterinary Social Work, 

University of Tennessee

Control what you can control

Cattle veterinarians experiencing compassion fatigue, poor mental health or burnout should not feel guilty. It’s a sign that respite and recovery are needed in the form of self-care.3 The good news is we have more control over our well being than we realize.​ 

Our Wellness Tool Kit is built around four key tenets, designed to promote a holistic approach to physical and mental health in veterinary medicine. These tenets are: 

Share the Weight Icons Circle

The four tenets of the wellness tool kit

1. Responsibility

Veterinarians with a stress management plan are less likely to experience serious psychological distress, and more likely to be flourishing.3 An effective stress management plan includes actions such as: 

  • Balancing work and healthy activities
  • Seeking assistance such as veterinarian mental health resources and financial planners when needed
  • Limiting time on social media for less exposure to cyberbullying or vicious reviews
Share the Weigh Icon Circle

2. Boundaries

Work-life balance is one of the strongest predictors of positive well being and mental health.4 Setting and maintaining boundaries is vital for achieving a sustainable work-life balance. Rewarding yourself with breaks may delay immediate responsibilities, but it makes you more effective in the long term and makes life more sustainable. 

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3. Mental health

Cattle veterinarians can employ mindfulness and emotional-intelligence tools to identify when their compassion fuel tanks are getting low, and help avoid burnout. 

  • Mindfulness: The skill of calmly observing one’s feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations. It’s associated with resiliency, and helps reduce anxiety, moderate the impact of work-related stress, and protect against perceived overload.5,6 
  • Emotional Intelligence: The ability to understand and manage your emotions and recognize and respond to the emotions of others. This skill set helps reduce the perception of self as incompetent and increase the perception of goal achievability.7
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4. Physical health

Regular physical activity can reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression, improve therapy outcomes, and increase positive moods for up to 4 hours.8,9 It’s important to integrate physical health practices into daily routines; however, it shouldn’t replace a multimodal treatment plan through a professional when warranted. 

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Veterinarian mental health resources*

Wellness Organizations 

 

Other Resources 


*Organizations are external and are not affiliated with Boehringer Ingelheim.

 References: 

1 Volk JO, Schimmack U, Strand EB, et al. Executive summary of the Merck Animal Health Veterinary Well-being Study. JAVMA 2018; 252(10)1231–1238. 

2 National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. NAVTA 2022 demographic survey results. Available at: https://todaysveterinarynurse.com/personal-professional-development/navta-2022-demographic-survey/. Accessed September 22, 2023.​ 

3 Rosmann M. People who serve distressed farmers seek emotional support and respite. Iowa Farmer Today. 2017. https://agupdate.com/iowafarmertoday/opinion/columnists/farm_and_ranch_life/people-who-serve-distressed-farmers-seek-emotional-support-and-respite/article_84592075-347d-5fde-845b-ebe9ef7c7c71.html. Accessed Oct. 9, 2023. 

4 Volk JO, Schimmack U, Strand EB, et al. Executive summary of the Merck Animal Health Veterinarian Well-being Study II. JAVMA 2020;256(11):1237-1244.  

5 Westphal M, Bingisser M-B, Feng T, et al. Protective benefits of mindfulness in emergency room personnel. J Affect Disord 2015;175:79-85.  

6 Montero-Marin J, Tops M, Manzanera R, et al. Mindfulness, resilience and  burnout subtypes in primary care physicians: the possible mediating role of positive and negative affect. Front Psychol 2015;6:1895.

7 Năstasă L-E, Fărcaş AD. The effect of emotional intelligence on burnout in health care professionals. Procedia-Social Behavioral Sci 2015;187:78-82.

8 Asmundson GJ, Fetzner MG, DeBoer LB, et al. Let's get physical: a contemporary review of the anxiolytic effects of exercise for anxiety and its disorders. Depress Anxiety 2013;30(4):362-373.

9 Craft LL, Perna FM. The benefits of exercise for the clinically depressed. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry 2004;6(3):104-111. 

 

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