Taboo Topics

Welcome back to episode two of Taboo Topics! We are Dr Amber and Dr Becca, and today we are tackling a topic that is becoming the "occupational phenomenon" of the decade: Burnout. 🧱

In this episode, Dr Becca shares the raw, unfiltered story of her 6-year journey through burnout, from graduating early into a global pandemic to the specific day she reached her breaking point. We discuss why high-performers are often at risk and explore the "Moral Injury" of the healthcare system. 📉

But first, the Doctors have some "Health Gossip" to catch up on! Dr Amber has a major update on her destination wedding in Greece 🇬🇷, and Dr Becca tells the truly baffling story of "The Bracelet Guy" - involving a 15-minute bus journey, a lost memento, and a handwritten love letter...

In this episode, the Doctors cover:
✅ What is Burnout? Why it's more than just "workplace stress."
✅ Pandemic Doctors: The reality of starting on the frontline in a pandemic.
✅ The Day Dr B quit
✅ The 5 Stages of Burnout: From Overdrive to Collapse.
✅ How to Actually Recover: Why a one-week holiday isn't the cure (and why Becca stares at walls for fun).
✅ Advice to their younger selves: Why your worth is NOT your productivity.

If you’re feeling exhausted, emotionally numb, or just "done," this episode is for you. You are not alone 💙

RESOURCES FOR SUPPORT:
🔹 Mind: mind.org.uk
🔹 Rethink Mental Illness: rethink.org

FOLLOW US:
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/tabootopicpod
✨ Like, comment & subscribe on Spotify and Apple Podcasts!

Dr B & Dr A x
Note: This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice.

For references for this episode head to: https://linktr.ee/tabootopicpod

#burnout #mentalhealth #nhs #doctorlife #stressrelief #tabootopics #datingstories #healthcareworker #moralinjury #exhaustion
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the very first episode of Taboo Topics! We are Dr. Becca and Dr. Amber, two best friends and doctors who met at medical school. We’re here to talk about all the things you chat about with your friends but never actually have the clinical answers to. 🩺✨

In today's episode, we are diving deep into one of the biggest taboos in health: Herpes Simplex Virus. Did you know that 7 out of 10 people have herpes by the age of 25? 📊 So why are we still treating it like a moral failing or the punchline of a joke? Dr. Becca shares her traumatic experience with facial flare-ups during her A-Levels and university, and we explain why a "cold sore" is just herpes with a better PR team. 💅

We also have some MAJOR "Health Gossip" this week, including Dr. Amber’s wedding planning stress and Dr. Becca’s absolute nightmare Hinge date with an "Industry Guy" who had some seriously questionable audacity... 🚩🙄

In this episode, we cover:
✅ The Stats: Why you are definitely not the "odd one out."
✅ Cold Sores vs. Genital Herpes: The identity crisis and why language matters.
✅ Becca’s Story: Dealing with severe flare-ups, stress triggers, and sunlight.
✅ Asymptomatic Shedding: Can you spread it with NO symptoms? (The answer might surprise you).
✅ The Disclosure Roleplay: Exactly how to tell a date you have an STI without the panic.
✅ Treatments: From Acyclovir to suppressive therapy—how to take back control.

Don't suffer in silence! Whether you’re struggling with a diagnosis or just want to educate yourself, we are here to break the taboo 💙

RESOURCES MENTIONED:
🔹 Herpes UK: herpes.org.uk
🔹 BASHH (British Association for Sexual Health and HIV)
🔹 Visit your local sexual health clinic for support!

FOLLOW US:
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/tabootopicpod
✨ Like, comment & subscribe to help us break more stigmas!

Dr B & Dr A x
Note: This podcast is for educational and entertainment purposes and is not a substitute for personalised medical advice.
#herpes #coldsores #stigma #tabootopics #sexualhealth #datingstories #nhsdoctors #healthgossip

References: Tuddenham, et al, 2022 and Gnann and Whitley 2016, S3xually Transmitted Infections: Updated Guideline From the CDC. 2022. BASHH Genital Herpes PIL. For full references, follow the link in our bio
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.