VICDOC Winter 2022 - Magazine - Page 60
CRAZYSOCKS4DOCS
LESS TALK
MORE ACTION
IN 2022
—
Dr Geoff Toogood founded
Crazy Socks 4 Docs Day to
bring attention to the impact
of stigma on healthcare workers
who need to seek help for
their mental health.
Please note: this article mentions suicide.
GEOFF'S STORY
––
“It all started when I wore odd socks to
work one day in 2016. I was sniggered at
behind my back… going ‘crazy’ again, was the
conversation. No one reached out; there was
just the back chat. It was pretty poor thinking
to suggest that my mental health had become
worse, purely based on sock choice. A simple
chat or question would have cleared that up.
The actual reason I was wearing odd socks
was because I had bought a puppy and it had
eaten all my socks; the bright colours were to
cheer me up. But sadly, in health, there’s a lack
of genuine chat and more background chatter.”
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AMA VI C TO RIA