Oxford Brookes study finds many veterinarians use drinking as a coping mechanism
The Oxford Brookes research also finds barriers for people seeking help
Last updated 17th Dec 2024
Research from Oxford Brookes University finds veterinarians with poor work-related mental health and higher levels of alcohol consumption are worried about seeking help.
The study, led by Dr Jennifer Seddon, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, and Olivia Cormier, an Associate Researcher and qualified veterinary surgeon, examined perceptions of alcohol use and mental health challenges within the UK veterinary profession.
“People were worried they would be seen as incompetent"
The study finds there are barriers for people struggling in seeking help, particularly due to the stigma associated with alcohol.
It also highlights there are concerns from vets about potential intervention from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), who are the regulatory body overseeing professional standards for veterinarians in the UK.
Dr Seddon said: “The reason they're not seeking help is because of alcohol related stigma. So, feelings of shame and feelings of blame and because they're quite fearful about any potential implications to their careers.”
She added: “People were worried that they would be seen as incompetent and not able to do their job role. And obviously this is a job that people love, and they want to continue in that in that role in that profession.
“So, there was just a lot of concern and uncertainty in terms of what might happen to them.
Seventeen veterinarians from across the UK participated in the study, including fifteen women.
Out of those, seven participants reported having previously struggled with alcohol-related problems. Through in-depth interviews lasting between 40 and 75 minutes, the participants shared their experiences and perspectives on problem drinking and the barriers they encountered in seeking help.
Dr Seddon said: “More needs to be done to support veterinarians with their mental health and the use of alcohol. The study highlights the need to address alcohol-related stigma within the UK veterinary profession to encourage and support early help-seeking for problem drinking.”
“If I carried on drinking that way, I would have ended up dead”
Kirstie Pickles is a veterinarian in the East Midlands region, and she tells us that she previously turned to alcohol “to get through the end of the day” due to the pressures of her job.
More than a decade ago, Kirstie needed surgery and was hospitalised due to issues with alcohol, and she says that was a “massive wake-up call”.
She added: “I knew that if I carried on drinking that way, I would have ended up dead and for me it was a clear-cut decision that I have to stop, and just overnight I stopped drinking.
“I'd scared myself so much, I knew that there were things worth living for.”
Kirstie is now helping others find a different coping mechanism and she says, “it's now about finding more healthy ways to cope with that stress”.
She said: “I go running with my dog in the hills, that's really therapeutic, but if it's raining, I'll do some exercise in the house or catch up with friends and family.
“There’s definitely other things to do.”
Kirstie says the festive period and this time of year in particular is “really difficult” because there are “lots of Christmas parties”.
Kirstie said: “As soon as you say, ‘I'm not drinking tonight’, particularly if you're a female of a childbearing age, the first question is, ‘are you pregnant’ and there's just a lot of peer pressure to drink”.
She added: “Driving is a great excuse if you don't want to talk about why you're not drinking, so that can be helpful.
“Try and pair up with somebody else who isn't drinking so that you've got a buddy and then make sure there's some decent non-alcoholic options available as well.”
If you have been affected by any of these issues you can get in touch with Alcohol Change UK, Vet Life, or Samaritans.