The Anxious Doctor – what you can’t control

There are several particularly stressful episodes from my experience on the wards that have cemented themselves in my memory and taken me rather a long time to come to terms with. One of these occured while I was a newly qualified doctor on the orthopaedic ward, and it caused me a whole bucketload of anxietyContinue reading “The Anxious Doctor – what you can’t control”

The Anxious Doctor – Central Line

In my albeit limited experience, I have found that one of the best remedies for my constant worry that something might go wrong, is when something actually does go wrong, and everything then turns out fine. While being a remarkably unpleasant experience at the time, it does however allow my brain to recalibrate, and toContinue reading “The Anxious Doctor – Central Line”

The Anxious Doctor – Driving back

Clunk. There it is. Just as I walk through the door having driven home after fifty eight hours of work in five days. It had been a good week, hard work and demanding but enjoyable and rewarding. My anticipatory joy for the coming weekend is quickly swallowed and replaced by a wrenching fear, knowing thatContinue reading “The Anxious Doctor – Driving back”

The Anxious Doctor – Checking

Clunk. That sickening feeling in your gut as the adrenaline kicks, when you suddenly panic that you’ve missed something important. The hairs up your spine tingle on end, your stomach starts to squeeze and churn, palms become clammy, breathing more shallow. Immediately the ritual begins, as you start recounting, retracing your steps through the eventsContinue reading “The Anxious Doctor – Checking”