You know what, I really do think so. But not just mild depression, I bet there are doctors out there with bigger mental illnesses and are still practicing. That is one profession where you really have to be mentally and physically prepared to go into. People's lives may be at stake.

Absolutely not! Only if their mental disorders are untreated. I think it's discriminatory to tell them that they can't practice, especially if they are under control. I have bipolar disorder and undergoing treatment and perfectly fit to become a doctor. You people are narrow-minded, you have no idea what discrimination entails and what mental illness is.

I can't believe how many have said yes to this so far! I don't think people realize how common depression and anxiety are ... all of you who voted yes probably just got rid of 25% of the doctors in the world :P

no because i want to be a docter wheb i grow up and i wouldnt be able to because i have a anxiety disorder....i think that mayby they should be checked up on every once in while to see how they are doing

No, but police officers with oppositional defiant disorder and/or superiority complexes should be fired...Now there's something that would make an actual difference in the world.

Ha ha ... I think ODD is a requirement if you want to be a cop

"Wild"? Depression and anxiety are very common. I don't think they're wild and I also don't think they're a handicap.

First of all, I would object to the broad classification of depression and anxiety as "mild." Either one can run a spectrum from mild to very severe. Some people are crippled by their depression or anxiety, it's not a trivial matter by any means.

To answer the question, though, if it is interfering with their ability to diagnose and treat patients and it cannot be treated adequately then yes, they should. The same should go for physical conditions. It's not exactly "fair" to the person, it's not their fault, but it wouldn't be fair to their patients to allow someone to practice medicine who is unable to perform their job adequately.

I know a pyschologist that has patients with relationship problems and if you look at the things she does to a friend of ours, you would think that a psychologist that does relationship therapy would never do the things she does.
She has gone to my friend's place, threw everything on the floor, broke plates etc. She comes from a rich family and her parents have used a detective to find more about us and our friend and in general her family is crazy.

So yes, her license should be revoked because she isn't fit to help people.

I don't see how depression and anxiety could get in the way of their work. I also strongly doubt there isn't a doctor out there who hasn't gone through one depressive episode because they lost a patient.

On 4/22/2007 3:20:00 PM mynameismike wrote: I don't see how depression and anxiety could get in the way of their work.

Really? If depression or anxiety is severe enough it can be practically all-consuming, leaving little room for one to concentrate on anything else. I would say that it could definitely get in the way of their work. I can see anxiety in particular being problematic if it was severe, as it would often make one pre-occupied with what they are worried about, which could be a huge distraction and possibly cause a doctor to overlook something or make a mistake more easily.

As burnt said above, if their disorder is a problem to the point that it interferes with their work, they shouldn't be allowed to continue.

On 4/22/2007 3:20:00 PM mynameismike wrote: I don't see how depression and anxiety could get in the way of their work.

So if a doctor were to have a severe anxiety attack while he was, say, operating on your heart, it wouldn't be affecting his work?
How about a doctor who's so buried in the depths of depression (depression normally *does* affect concentration) that he isn't listening to you while you're describing some dangerous symptoms you've been having?

On 4/22/2007 3:20:00 PM mynameismike wrote: I also strongly doubt there isn't a doctor out there who hasn't gone through one depressive episode because they lost a patient.

Going through a brief depressive episode isn't exactly the same as having ongoing, severe clinical depression.

And, of course, I'm sure you're aware that having a depressive episode does not mean that someone has a mental illness. Everyone has depressive episodes, not everyone suffers from clinical depression. While you might be right that all doctors have gone through depressive episodes, not all of them would be diagnosed with depression.

On 4/30/2007 11:49:26 PM melLowStar wrote: Going through a brief depressive episode isn't exactly the same as having ongoing, severe clinical depression.

Ah, I see mellowstar beat me to the punch on that one.

If the mental illness is impairing their ability to function in life, they should be helped. I don't think it is fair to revoke a license. They have spent years and years and time and money on their education. If they're mentally ill, they cannot help it and mild depression and anxiety can be helped.

Anxiety at times prevents me from performing my duties at work, which include such things as testing telephones.
I don't even want to imagine what would happen if a doctor with an anxiety disorder had an attack while operating.

"If they're mentally ill, they cannot help it and mild depression and anxiety can be helped."

This sentence got so messed up. Ugh. I mean, depression and anxiety can be treated and they aren't always permanent illnesses. Also, it's not he person's fault that they ended up with the illness so revoking a license that they worked so hard for seems so unfair to me.

^Shakira, it's not always that simple. I mean, I'm on medication for my anxiety and I still have anxiety attacks on occasion. They are just far less common.
It's not fair to a person who worked so hard to become a doctor, but I feel that they should only be allowed to operate if their disorder is able to be completely controlled or cured.
It's not always possible to make sure that episodes don't occur. And triggers can't always be identified before an anxiety attack.
Medication in conjunction with therapy is usually the best combination but even that isn't a guarantee.
I'm not saying all doctors with depression or aniety should have their license revoked: rather, I think that these people should only be allowed to operate on maybe a week-to-week basis depending on the reccomendation of their therapist. And when times are unduly stressful, they should not be allowed to enter an operating room for their safety and the safety of their patients.

I never said it was simple. My mother has anxiety and I have had depression before. I said it can be "helped" and "treated". I know it's not simple. Though, there are cases like me. I had severe depression all through high school, but it has gone away on its own since then. So, I know firsthand that it isn't always permanent. However, my mother has been on various medication and still has problems with her anxiety.

I only believe that they need to be helped until they are able to have the ability to function well in their life and job rather than have their license revoked. I've never said that they should be able to work WHILE their work is being impaired by whichever mental illness they have.