Mental Health Matters: The Emotional Burden Women Doctors Silently Carry

As the nation celebrates World Doctor’s Day, saluting the lifesavers who stand at the frontline of care, there is one truth we often overlook behind the dedication and the white coats, women doctors are quietly carrying an emotional load that no one talks about. They heal others but rarely find time to heal themselves.

Caught Between Two Worlds

For women doctors, medicine is not just a profession it becomes a way of life. Their days begin early, often before sunrise, juggling home responsibilities before stepping into the demanding world of patients, diagnoses, and emergencies. When the shift ends, the second begins with household work, caregiving, parenting, expectations. Unlike their male counterparts, many women doctors carry the invisible weight of dual roles, trying to meet both professional and personal obligations with perfection. And in doing so, their own mental and emotional well-being often takes a backseat.

The Silence of Suffering

The culture within the medical fraternity often glorifies self-sacrifice. There is a silent, unwritten rule showing emotional vulnerability is a sign of weakness. And so, women doctors learn to mask their struggles behind practiced smiles and calm voices. But the pain lingers. The grief of losing a patient, the emotional strain of delivering difficult news, the helplessness when medicine fails these moments etch themselves deep into the heart. Yet, there is rarely any time, or permission, to pause and grieve. Most continue working while suppressing anxiety, burnout, or depression. They become experts at hiding what hurts.

The Pressure to Be Perfect

Outside the hospital too, women doctors face unrelenting expectations. They are expected to be devoted mothers, responsible daughters-in-laws, caring wives and all without faltering in their professional duties. The pressure to prove themselves, both at home and at work, leads to internal guilt. Guilt for not attending a family gathering. Guilt for missing a parent-teacher meeting. Guilt for taking a day off. Society may applaud their achievements, but it rarely understands their emotional labour.

Mental Health is Not a Luxury

One of the most glaring ironies is that while women doctors advocate mental wellness for their patients, they often neglect or delay seeking it for themselves. The reasons vary for lack of time, stigma, and fear of being perceived as ‘not strong enough. But the truth remains that mental health is not a luxury, especially for those who care for others. If doctors are expected to deliver the best care, their own well-being must be prioritized. Emotional support, counselling, and protected time for self-care should be part of the healthcare system not afterthoughts, but essentials.

Time to Listen, Time to Act

On World Doctor’s Day, the applause should come with action. Hospitals and medical institutions must create safe, confidential spaces where doctors especially women can talk freely, cry if needed, and access professional mental health support without stigma. Families, too, must recognise that behind the white coat is a human being who deserves rest, kindness, and understanding. Empathy at home can be just as healing as medicine in a ward.

Not Just a Celebration, but a Commitment

Let this World Doctor’s Day be more than symbolic. Let it mark the beginning of honest conversations about the emotional toll the profession takes especially on women. Let us celebrate not just the strength of women doctors, but also honour their struggles, their silence, and their emotional resilience. They show up for everyone. It’s time we show up for them.

(The writer is a Lead Consultant - Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Aster CMI Hospital, Bangalore)