Doctors are human too.

It's a simple fact that can be overlooked while they are subject to impossibly high standards and intense demands.

Those who forget that doctors think, feel and react like other human beings are often doctors themselves. Experiences can be shut out, buried, or brushed off with a reflection that it's all in a day's work.

We asked members for examples of the emotional impact of practising medicine. The case studies below aim to reduce the stigma around doctors' health issues, and help increase awareness that doctors are not alone in struggling with the unique pressures their vocation brings.

We are very grateful to the doctors who have contributed their experiences. They are published with permission, some with pseudonyms.

If you have been affected by any of these issues and feel you would like some support, we can help.