Dr. Mike Varshavski Discusses the Pandemic (and its Mental-Health Challenges) with Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy

WASHINGTON, July 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy re-emphasized that vaccination represents "our clearest path to getting back to our way of life" in a recent one-on-one interview with Dr. Mikhail Varshavski, the primary care physician and social media influencer known as "Dr. Mike," while also touching on the many mental-health aftershocks that have resulted from the pandemic.

Murthy, who also served as Surgeon General under President Barack Obama, said those issues have included depression, anxiety, loneliness, and burnout, and that they have been widespread.

"So if you're feeling any of these things, I want you to know that you're not alone," he told viewers of the 11-minute interview, which appears on Varshavski's YouTube channel. "I want you to know that it doesn't mean you're broken in some way. What it means is that you're a human being, having a very human experience."

According to Murthy, one of the primary things people can do for themselves and others is reestablish relationships, whether in person or through technological means, like phone calls or video platforms.

"You don't need to have an 'M.D.' behind your name, or an 'R.N.,' to be a healer," he said. "You just need to be able to show up in someone's life -- to listen openly to them, to be fully present. And through that, you can remind them that they matter -- that they're seen, that they're understood. And that is where the real healing begins."

Murthy noted that the mental-health challenges have been particularly acute for healthcare professionals and that he has had to come to grips with them himself. Besides making sure he connects with friends and family, he said he is careful to pace himself (i.e., take periodic breaks) and express gratitude.

The latter, he pointed out, is "a really powerful way to reconnect with meaning and to feel renewed after a long day."

About Doctor Mike Media: Doctor Mike Media is a health & lifestyle organization launched by Dr. Mike Varshavski. With over 16 million social media followers, Dr. Mikhail Varshavski, commonly known as "Doctor Mike," is a multifaceted board-certified family medicine physician, media personality, educator, writer, and philanthropist. He has also made appearances and consulted on CNN, ABC, and Fox News, and served as a regular contributor to publications including Women's Health, Men's Health, Reader's Digest, the American Academy of Family Physicians Blog, and MedPageToday.

SOURCE Doctor Mike Media