Recent searches
Search options
Administered by:
A young doctor’s final words offer a mental health warning for others
Will West, a 33-yr-old who was training at GW hospital in DC, wrote in his final message that other residents are “at real risk”
David West barely slept the night his older brother, William Ballantyne West Jr., called him from his DC apt, sounding worried.
#MentalHealth #UnitedStates #stress #depression #anxiety #support
https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/10/03/will-west-doctor-gwu-suicide-note-mental-health/
His brother had earned the nickname “Iron Will” for the tenacity he showed when faced w/challenges. He had rock-climbed, gone on a religious mission to Italy & competed in overnight relay races. But during that call…, Will talked about how his problems felt too big to solve: He was not getting the training he needed…. He was not getting enough time to sleep or #recharge…. #Happiness, he felt, would elude him always.
Will was a doctor in his 3rd yr…at GW #Medicine & #Health Sciences in DC, & David, 6yrs younger & following the same path, was in his 1st year of #medical school in UT. David considered asking someone to check on his brother, but during their next 2 phone calls, Will eased his concerns. He laughed & seemed lighter. After a call in late Feb, David hung up feeling relieved.
Days later, Will was gone. He died by suicide at 33.
