Michael Foti

My Battle with Anxiety and Depression after serving on the frontlines of COVID-19

My talk details my personal experiences as an Intern training when COVID-19 first arrived in the US in 2020, the loss of my mother during that time, and my later struggles with anxiety and depression once becoming an Attending. I speak about the development of my anxiety/depression, how it manifested, and how I eventually sought the help I so desperately needed. I then highlight how well I am now doing. I discuss the stigma of mental health among healthcare professionals and how it affected me the same. I felt ashamed and embarrassed at my darkest points in life. I demonstrate, though, how anxiety, depression, or any mental health issues should never be seen as a weakness by anyone in the medical community. We as healthcare professionals are as much human as anyone else, and as such we experience loss, grief, and suffering like any other human. I implore my fellow colleagues to understand that and understand that seeking the help you need is the strongest thing you can do.