Dr Rishabh Garg

Batch 2019, N.C. Medical College and Hospital, Aff to PGIMS, Rohtak

Behind every white coat is a mind battling stress, sleepless nights, and silent fears. This is the untold story of anxiety in medicine—and how to fight it.

A Recall
It’s 2 a.m. The exam is only a few hours away. Books are open on the desk, but your eyes can’t focus. With your heart racing and hands trembling, it feels like no matter how many revisions are done, in your head, you are blank. You promise yourself you’ll read “one more topic,” but the pages blur, and suddenly the night feels endless.

If this sounds familiar, you’ve experienced anxiety. And if you’re a medical graduate—or one in the making—you know this feeling all too well.

Anxiety isn’t occasional in medicine; it’s a constant shadow. And no, it’s not because someone is weak. It’s because a career in medicine is ‘demanding’ at every step. From pre-medical exams to super-specialty training, the competition never ends.

The Medical Journey
Medicine is like a long ladder—each rung heavier than the last, each step a mix of triumphs and anxieties.

You begin as a NEET aspirant, fighting for a seat among lakhs. Sleepless nights, endless revisions, and the gnawing fear of failure mark your encounter with the real pressure.
You remember studying under the dim light of your desk lamp, the clock ticking past midnight, your mind repeating formulas over and over, hoping they stick.

Once you step into a medical college, and life as an undergraduate begins, the syllabus seems endless, classes run back-to-back, and exams never stop. Anatomy alone feels like a universe that you must conquer, let alone the other three subjects of the first year- Physiology, Biochemistry and PSM. Flipping through atlases, tracing muscles with your finger, whispering names under your breath- this stage is the first real encounter with academic anxiety—a test not just of knowledge, but of endurance and patience.

And to sift through this test, the one-stop solution is CBS Publishers and Distributors, who offer gems like Dr Satyanarayana’s Biochemistry , Dr Yogesh Sontakke’s Embryology, and Histology  by Dr Krishna Garg, Dr Gayatri Rath and Dr Mithlesh Chandra, BD Chaurasia’s Human Anatomy  and Dr L P Reddy’s LPR’sFundamentals of Physiology  – all well-equipped to seamlessly, cater to your first-year needs.

The journey begins here, and on the way, comes the internship and junior residency, where the ladder leans against the hospital walls. Sleepless duties, emergencies, and the constant fear of missing a diagnosis become your daily companions.
Recall that first night on duty, your heart racing as the monitors beeped, adrenaline surging as you rushed to attend a patient, realizing that the lessons from textbooks were only the beginning. Coffee keeps your body awake, but anxiety keeps your mind alert.

In senior residency, responsibility deepens. You are no longer only learning—you are teaching juniors, managing wards, and emergencies, and preparing for super-specialty exams.

Every decision carries weight, every mistake teaches a lesson.
Recall explaining procedures to anxious interns- the simultaneous fear of being wrong and pride in sharing knowledge. The climb becomes a test of stamina, patience, and multitasking.

Advancing further into assistant/ associate professorship or super-specialization, the pressures evolve but never disappear. Balancing research, clinical duties, teaching, and personal life becomes a complex juggle.

Anxiety persists alongside ambition, but so does mastery, confidence, and resilience. Relive walking through the hospital corridors at night, exhausted but satisfied, reflecting on the patients helped, the lives touched, and the growth achieved.

Every rung of the ladder brings growth —and fresh anxieties.

Anxiety and Stress: The Connection
• As a friend, stress motivates, sharpens focus, pushes you to study harder, and fuels achievement.
• As an enemy, it overwhelms. Palpitations, irritability, blackouts, and sleepless nights follow.

The exam, syllabus, time, and resources are the same for everyone. Yet one student stays calm, while another feels broken. The difference lies not in the exam, but in the mindset. This is where anxiety takes hold — when stress tips out of balance.

When Anxiety Strikes the Hardest
For most medicos, anxiety peaks during key phases:

• Preparation phase – endless revisions, fear of falling behind, constant comparisons.

• Exam day – racing heart, trembling hands, spiralling thoughts.

• Waiting period – the long torture of “what if.”

• After results – worrying about the next stage, career choices, or specialization.

Anxiety is rarely loud. It exists quietly, invisibly, often misunderstood, most often, fuelled by overthinking.
And here’s the truth: you can’t avoid it, skip it, or evade it. What you must do is face it, tackle it, and move through it.

Medicine demands the spirit of a fighter, not a sufferer.

Warning Signs You Shouldn’t Ignore
As medicos, we know our body speaks before our mind does.

Anxiety can manifest as:
• Palpitations and tremors
• Breathlessness or chest tightness
• Fatigue and poor concentration
• Mood swings and irritability

Sometimes, these overlap with depression.
Unfortunately, within the medical community itself, such issues are often dismissed as “normal.” But silence intensifies the suffering.

Get acquainted with anxiety and how it takes a toll on you with ‘Essentials ofPsychiatry’  from the House of CBS.

Practical Steps to Tackle Anxiety
So, how do you fight back? The following steps truly help:
• Identify the signals – Spotting anxiety patterns early prevents them from snowballing. If you want to get better at identifying these signals, check out – Dr RK Meher’s Competency-Based Textbook of Psychiatry 

• Seek help –Speaking out with a professor of Psychology, Psychiatry or even friends lightens the load.

Make lifestyle changes:
• Stay active: Exercise, gym, or brisk walk for 30–45 minutes daily.

• Eat smart: Eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, and juices. Reduce caffeine, junk food, and smoking.

• Practice mindfulness: Meditation, yoga, or 10 minutes of deep breathing helps you unwind.

• Tame overthinking – Overthinking is anxiety’s closest ally. Don’t get trapped in endless “what ifs.” Accept imperfection. Make decisions and move forward.

Quick Hacks for Medical Students
Sometimes medicos need instant fixes:
• The 4-7-8 Breathing Trick: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 7, exhale for 8. Repeat thrice to calm your nerves before exams.

• Two-Minute Journaling: Write down what’s bothering you. Offloading it on paper clears your head.

• Digital Detox Hour: Switch off your phone one hour before bed. Watch your sleep quality improve dramatically.

• Mini-Meditation: 5 minutes of eyes-closed breathing between lectures will reset your mind.

A Reflection
Medically speaking, anxiety means your stress response needs direction.
With awareness, support, and discipline, you can transform anxiety from a burden into resilience.

Closing Note
Remember! You are not a sufferer. You’re a fighter.
Medicine will test you—with exams, patients, and responsibilities. But anxiety does not define you.

The white coat is heavy, yes, but so is your strength. Wear it not as a burden, but as proof that you are more than a sufferer—you are a fighter.

From the Desk of CBS Publishers and Distributors

All the aforementioned books are available for purchase on our website www.cbspd.com .  They are also widely available across the country with all the CBS dealers and on e-commerce portals like Amazon and Flipkart. For any further information/queries about the book, we are happy to assist you via call/WhatsApp on 9599779677.