AIBU to give up 'good' career which causes me stress and to be unwell?

[grabbinglife1123]

Anyone here ever had a 'good' career (the type that is very impressive, has involved lots of training, and has potential great earnings) but been unhappy and given it up in the hope of happiness and not living in a constant state of anxiety?

It's the kind of career that is your whole identity rather than a job, so to leave feels really daunting and I know my whole family will be shocked.

I don't want to look back in 30 years and realise that all the stress, sleepless nights and bullshit wasn't worth having the fancy job title. I'm young enough that I can make something in a different sector (I hope, have no idea what it would be) if I start preparing now

I think I need to take the 'risk' and put my own happiness and wellbeing first. It will likely involve a decent pay cut as I'm not really qualified for anything else so will likely take a random job in the first instance to give myself room to think. I'm hoping that at some point I will be able to find a decent job in a related field, but it might take some time.

Sorry about the vagueness. I think it's possibly guessable what career I'm talking about but if I write it in as many words, I'm worried the DM will stick their nose in or something

Life is too short right?? I'm just hoping to hear from others who have risked it and it was worth it

I think this was supposed to encourage me that how I was feeling was normal?? That it's normal to have such significant mental ill health from the job??

Yup, that about sums it up, it's utterly batshit. When I first went to student support the person I spoke to said that about 70-80% of the people on our course were currently being treated for depression. People were being encouraged to hide their mental health problems for fear of facing fitness to practise hearings, and being threatened with the GMC refusing to allow registration upon graduating if they sort certain kinds of treatment for their MH problems, even when then treatment was being recommend by consultant psychiatrists. I knew someone who ended up in a psychiatric hospital for a year because they were essentially told that if they accepted the course of therapy being recommended to them they'd be kicked off the course, so they tried to power through without the correct support. Lost count of the number of people who admitted to wishing they'd become seriously ill/ injured to give them an excuse to leave. My own mother even accused me of becoming pregnant on purpose as a cover for why I was leaving. It's no way to live. The day I walked out of my last placement I felt like I'd been given my life back.

@knottybeams I really and honestly have tried. I've been met with 'sorry, it's crap we know, but we can't magic up doctors' more times than I bare to count. And it's now coming back to seem like I am just not competent to do the job and I probably won't get signed off as successfully completing rotation.

To everyone who has taken the time to reply, thank you, I am so grateful and will continue to be for a long time that you have helped me see the wood through the trees and see that I need to leave. I actually feel optimistic about the future for the first time in a long time. And I have also started telling my family who have been very supportive.

I am very open to anyone with suggestions as to where I go from here. I am not in a position to do any further qualifications unless this were as part of a job or paid training.

Here's to a happy future

Cheers here's to your happy future!
Life really is too short!

You are very very sensible to have thought this through so well and not just stayed on the rollercoaster because you are too scared to get off. If you can take some time to recover before starting out on a new path. You need to find out who you are and what you want having been trying to fit yourself into a mould that isn't you for too long. Find your identity away from medicine. Good luck and enjoy the freedom your new life gives you.