Dr. Rima Styra the sources of stress common to dentists can be very helpful and effective. Staffing shortages have caused work overload in hospitals, and Dr. Styra says that the same problem can happen in dental offices. “It’s hard to deal with individual work-life balance when there are systemic things happening around us, like a pandemic or an industry-wide staffing shortage,” Dr. Styra says. “So how do we reconcile this? Some of the solutions to burnout need to be organizational or at a systemlevel. We have to work together on solutions, because only so much can be done on an individual level.” Dr. Styra says that, anecdotally, the stress of the pandemic has been clarifying for some people. “In moments like these, we ask ourselves the big questions,” she says. “What about my work is most meaningful to me?What do I need to be resilient? References: 1. Styra R, Hawryluck L, Mc Geer A, Dimas M, Sheen J, Giacobbe P, et al. Surviving SARS and living through COVID-19: Healthcare worker mental health outcomes and insights for coping. PLoS One. 2021 Nov 10;16(11):e0258893. 2. Styra R, Hawryluck L, McGeer A, Dimas M, Lam E, Giacobbe P, et al. Support for health care workers and psychological distress: thinking about now and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Health Promot Chronic Dis Prev Can. 2022 Oct 12;42(10):421-30. Are there changes that I need to make? Are there challenges that can be addressed? Do I have work-life balance? These are important questions to ask ourselves.” Dr. Styra is an associate professor of psychiatry at theUniversity of Toronto and staff consultation-liason psychiatrist at Toronto General Hospital. 26 | 2023 | Issue 2 Issues and People
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