Crazy Socks for Docs Day: shining a spotlight on doctors’ mental health
May 16, 2023
Wear your craziest socks this Crazy Socks for Docs Day
On the 2nd of June, Adelaide Convention Centre will light up in a whirl of colour and conversation for the 2023 #CrazySocks4Docs Breakfast. This unique event, scheduled from 7.00am to 9.00am, aims to highlight an issue often left in the shadows: the mental health and well-being of our medical professionals. Even if you can’t make it to the Panorama Ballroom, you can join online and be a part of this national conversation from anywhere in Australia.
Spearheading this year’s discussion are Federal Health Minister Hon. Mark Butler MP, and Dr Ben Bravery, author of “The Patient Doctor.” A panel discussion will follow, featuring diverse perspectives from the medical community. Among the panellists are Psychiatry trainee and author Dr Ben Bravery, Chair of RACGP (SA) Dr Sian Goodson, Workforce Wellbeing Partnerships Lead Ms Isla Woidt, Dean of Medicine at Adelaide Medical School Professor Danny Liew, and Consultant Paediatric Rheumatologist Dr Gráinne Murray.
This event would not be complete without its initiator, Dr Geoff Toogood, who started Crazy Socks 4 Docs after his own struggle with mental health. His mission? To destigmatise mental health issues within the medical profession. He will be co-hosting the event, joined by Paul Kitching as MC, various VIP guests, and teams from SASMOA and Doctors’ Health SA.
Find the event and information about tickets and virtual attendance here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/crazysocks4docs-2023-tickets-595243528417
A cause worth supporting
The statistics around mental health in the medical community are sobering. A Beyond Blue study found that Australian doctors are significantly more likely to experience high psychological distress compared to the general population. An estimated 1 in 5 medical professionals experiences depression, 1 in 4 experiences anxiety, and 1 in 50 has thoughts of suicide.
As we gather in person or virtually on Crazy Socks for Docs Day, let’s remember why we’re wearing our wildest socks. It’s not just a fun gesture, but a vibrant symbol of an urgent issue. It’s a call to action to acknowledge and support the mental health needs of our medical professionals who spend their lives taking care of ours. So on June 2nd, join us, wear your craziest socks, and let’s step forward together for doctors’ mental health.
Beyond Blue (2013). National Mental Health Survey of Doctors and Medical Students. Available at: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/docs/default-source/research-project-files/bl1132-report—nmhdmss-full-report_web
