Programs help those who live to help others

"The proportion was higher among males and the most highly educated employees," she said.

According to Lin, of the psychological counseling association, people with strong sense of responsibility who are committed to the highest working standards are unusually prone to depression and they very often display strong emotional responses to the condition.

Moreover, the pressure on medical professionals is enormous because of their heavy workloads and the uncertainty of medical treatment, she added.

"Patients and their families have a common misunderstanding that they will be 100 percent cured if they go to the hospital, which puts huge pressure on doctors," she said.

"Those who work in the ICU or emergency clinics, where patient deaths are more common, suffer frustration more easily and may begin to doubt the value of their work. If they have to shoulder criticism from patients' families at tense times, they may become confused about their professional identities."

Su said his hospital's employee assistance program began by providing services to nurses, many of whom see their jobs as less valuable than those of doctors and therefore experience burnout more easily.

"In addition, women usually experience more emotional ups and downs, and they shoulder more household duties, so the pressures they feel are equal to those felt by men," he said.

Initially, the program featured regular lectures delivered by university professors and psychological consultants, but now it includes a range of measures.

One strategy involves discussions of fears and anxieties in groups of no more than 10 participants, according to Su, who said common themes are misunderstandings or verbal abuse by patients and the lasting impact they can have.

"Before, staff members could only speak with relatives or close friends when such incidents occurred, but now they have an official platform to provide support. This helps them to open their hearts and discuss the problems with their peers in the working environment," Su said.

Contact the writer at zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn