These things never leave you. Families may have no idea what has been etched on our minds, but we really do care. 24y as a doctor, and more as a medical student, I have numerous cases that I carry with me. I think of each from time to time, even though it’s decades later. What the 16yo on his bike might be doing now; questioning whether I should have challenged my registrar in the management of the VT arrest; how the grandchildren remember their grandmother; what would have become of the stillborn child.
We care - deeply - and carry some of it all with us always. That is part of the privilege.
One thing medical school doesn’t prepare you for:
The patient you couldn’t save.
You go home. You eat dinner. You try to sleep.
The world continues as if nothing happened.
But somewhere, a family is learning how to live without someone they love.
And tomorrow morning, you’re expected to walk into the hospital and do it all again.
You know what, I think I’m getting better. Fragile, undoubtedly, but I almost think I’m safe. Hoping this isn’t a false hope. Desperate to go back to work but think it’s a bit risky - hoping to start to dip my toe in though - fed up with feeling like a useless, fraudulent slacker. ECT is a game-changer.
Mental ill health is not a choice. You can’t try your way out of it, no matter how much you or anyone else things you can. Just as with physical health, you need to work at it, but it’s every bit as debilitating and risky as something that is obvious to the naked eye.
Let’s stop talking about the annual salary and look at the hourly rate. Big numbers grab headlines but they’re only half the truth; how much time goes into this ‘overpaid’ role?
Compare with the hourly rate of similarly qualified people then decide on worthiness.
Crisis have assured me no MHAA on the cards despite what I told them earlier in the week. This is a huge relief and just maybe I’ll be able to be honest without fear of repercussions going forwards. Being able to speak freely without consequence is the biggest protective intervention there is.
Pondering over where the sweet spot is in the human lifespan. Around long enough to offer the value of experience, but not so long as to have disproportionate need to use.
Getting older is really hard when your identity is that of a young person - for all of us, being younger is all we’ve ever known.
#foreveryoung
Child birthdays are, I think, even more significant for the parents than the child. Pride in what they’ve achieved, hope for what’s next, relief that you’ve got them this far, sadness at the swift passing of time, gratitude for the gift that they are and thankfulness for the precious memories you’ve made together and who they’re becoming. Most of all, though, it’s overwhelmingly love. Love conquers all.
Have had a lot of psychology around being able to ask for help because I’m awful at it.
Today I was told by CMHT that I’ve had quite a bit of contact recently and they didn’t want me to become reliant. (No contact was initiated by me.)
Revert to type then.
If I didn’t know the ethos of many psych services, I’d take this personally and be upset. However, it’s often just par for the course, so just 🤷♀️.
Doc Em🕷🇪🇺 retweeted
CPTSD shares several clinical features with PTSD and BPD, while also having important points of distinction. 🚨
Ultimately, it is the constellation of symptoms = PTSD symptoms + disturbances in
-affect regulation
-self-concept
-interpersonal functioning
than any single unique criterion, that defines CPTSD.
Re BPD similarly there are phenomenological differences etc persistent negative self concept vs an unstable one ..
More here as a Diagnostic label only provides a partial view 👉psychscenehub.com/psychinsig…






