Medical marriages and other intimate relationships

Myers, Michael F

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2004.tb06340.x

Topics

Marital challenges are ubiquitous in the relationships of doctors. Common issues include overwork, a need for control, self-neglect, perceived and felt stigma, being a “wounded healer”, trouble with boundaries, chemical dependency, depression, and more. Knowing the hallmarks of a healthy relationship, recognising warning signals of trouble, and taking action through suggested strategies can be salutary.

Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Correspondence:

1. Myers MF. Physicians and intimate relationships. In: Goldman LS, Myers M, Dickstein LJ, editors. The handbook of physician health. Chicago, Ill: American Medical Association, 2000: 52-79.
2. Doherty WJ, Burge SK. Divorce among physicians: comparisons with other groups. JAMA 1989; 261: 2374-2377.
3. Sotile WM, Sotile MO. The medical marriage: sustaining healthy relationships for physicians and their families. Revised ed. Chicago, Ill: American Medical Association, 2000.
4. Dickstein LJ. Medical students and residents: issues and needs. In: Goldman LS, Myers M, Dickstein LJ, editors. The handbook of physician health. Chicago, Ill: American Medical Association, 2000: 161-179.
5. Myers MF. The well-being of physician relationships. West J Med 2001; 174: 1-4.
6. Jordan J. The meaning of mutuality. In: Jordan J, Miller JB, editors. Women’s growth in connection. New York, NY: Guilford Press, 1991.
7. Gabbard GO, Menninger RW. The psychology of postponement in the medical marriage. JAMA 1989; 261: 2378-2381.
8. Christensen JF, Levinson W, Dunn PM. Heart of darkness: the impact of perceived mistakes on physicians. J Gen Intern Med 1992; 7: 424-431.
9. Vaillant GE, Sobowale NC, McArthur C. Some psychological vulnerabilities of physicians. N Engl J Med 1972; 287: 372-375.
10. Miller MN, McGowen KR. The painful truth: physicians are not invincible. South Med J 2000; 93: 966-973.
11. Myers MF. Fighting stigma: how to help the doctor’s family. In: Fink PJ, Tasman A, editors. Stigma and mental illness. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, 1992: 139-150.
12. Dunne C. Carl Jung: wounded healer of the soul. New York, NY: Parabola Books, 2000.
13. Center C, Davis M, Detre T, et al. Confronting depression and suicide in physicians. JAMA 2003; 289: 3161-3166.

Online responses are no longer available. Please refer to our instructions for authors page for more information.