Only Human - Don't Forget The Bubbles Don't Forget The Bubbles

The Bipolar Doc has asked to remain anonymous. Hers is a story about mental illness as a doctor. Working in a system where she was caring for patients but wasn’t being cared for herself. It’s a story about feeling broken, about leaving medicine and then about gaining a deeper understanding of what she needs in her professional life and as a human.

Sameera’s is a story not only about gender identity but about acceptance of self and acceptance by others. As a child in India, Sameera could only ever be herself in secret. Would she ever be able to be honest with the people she loved and feel accepted for who she really is? This is a journey of discovery across continents and time. It’s a story of suppression, loneliness, bravery and love.

Simon’s is a story about being broken. What’s it like as an ED consultant when you lose your ability to keep all the plates spinning? This is a story about how our professional identities inform how we view ourselves as humans. And does being fixed mean that you have to be able to spin all the plates again?

Emily’s is a story about being a patient as a healthcare professional. It’s about our reluctance to accept illness in ourselves, the comfort we find in keeping our professional roles and the perceptions of other professionals about what we need when the roles are reversed. Through being a patient, Emily has learned that it’s the human touches that really matter.