Self- care is not selfish: It’s imperative to save the practice of medicine

Wellness expert, Blossom Kochchar, said, “Self- care has a simple definition: Taking care of your physical and mental health”. Today, self- care is the new medicine that has to be followed every day, every week, month in and month out. And, it’s no longer just meditation but medication which doesn’t imply to selfishness. Self- care implies to making a commitment to stay healthy and balanced on a regular basis. 

When it all started?

Self- care started off as a way to physically take care of one- self, then evolved into caring for emotional well- being. As of now, the pandemic has popularised the culture self- care in another perspective that if caring about our self means caring for all. It means, in terms of healthcare sector, the healers are optimally important who should care about themselves before treating others. 

Why it all started?

For instance, if doctors are not well, then they cannot treat others properly, as there are chances of a doctor himself infecting a patient. The concept of ‘self-sacrifice’ is an outdated principle in medicine. But, physician self- care is nurtured and valued. One doctor’s life can save millions of life and so, that ‘one’ life’s care is the priority.

Who all need self- care?

Healthcare doesn’t imply to doctors alone, there are other professional life’s that contribute directly or indirectly for the wellbeing of people. Be it nurses, health department staff, lab assistances, pharmacy’s employee or medical store home delivery staff, all of these individual require to maintain self- care practice.

How to maintain self- care?

Any health department member ought to be optimised about their health and wellness so as to perform optimally like the professional athletes. Self- care in the profession of medicine is not to be considered as selfish because it’s a higher and longer level career that saves lives. Every healthcare provider should make a commitment to prioritize sleep, eat healthy, and exercise, as a part to discovery oneself as well as for self- recovery. Make time to connect with others to ignore judgemental thoughts. Practice breathing exercise to heal and change the reactivity of nervous system as doctors usually breathe stress more than fresh air. Through modelling self- care and allowing and supporting others to do the same, will save most of lives. The practice of medicine will continue to be a sustainable career.   

What are the benefits of self- care?

The best remedy suggestive to field of medicine is ‘self- care’, which in itself is a gift for those who care for all. If our healthcare providers are strong and firm with their lives, then medicine will be a more healing and healthy space for all. When our doctors are healthy both physically and mentally, all the human lives are at the right hand for cure or heal. With healers being fit and fine, healing is a guaranteed fact.

Self- care is also a sacrifice

The new statement for the millennium would be, ‘Doctors health is patient’s wealth’. It means, the wellness of a patient is in the hands of wellness of a healthcare provider. A doctor is approached for his professional power that he possesses to heal or save lives. Situations like pandemic put the lives of every staff of medicine at stack. Despite of their pain and worry, they choose to function as per their professional ethics. Most of the people will choose their own health above everything else whether intentionally or not. Therefore, doctor’s life is extremely rewarding as they restore people’s lives to normalcy and even save some from death. So, the process of self- care should be followed by healthcare providers as a sacrifice to save lives and selfish of caring about themselves.

Richard Wardrop, MD at American College of Physicians (ACP), said, “Physicians need to remember that self- care is a necessity, not just a luxury”. It means, healthcare providers should take care of themselves before they take care of somebody else. It’s about work and life integration and not just about balance. It’s necessary to prevent stress and implement practice of mindfulness, which is the practice of learning to slow down and nurture calmness and self- acceptance. One big step has to be taken to recognise that medicine professional’s own wellbeing is a professional competency.