During my psychiatric posting at, I learned something no textbook ever taught me — not every decision should be made from the heart alone.
People walked in with stories heavier than their diagnosis. As students, we often felt an immediate urge to help — to decide fast, to fix things quickly. That urge came from emotion. But when we pause and look at the situation rationally, we realise something important.
Sometimes, the problem wasn’t the person in front of us, but the circumstances around them.
Emotional thinking comes natural to you where as rational is something you learn along your way.
When working in an atmosphere where diverse people come and share their problems you tend to be emotionally invested and this over empathy might lead to burnout as well as wrong judgement.
Emotional thinking helps us connect. Rational thinking helps us decide.
In real life — and in medicine — the right choice often comes when emotion pauses and reason steps in.
Do share your emotional experiences from college life.
It captures a quiet but powerful truth about medical training empathy is essential, but unfiltered emotion isn’t the same as good care. Learning to pause, assess context, and respond thoughtfully is a skill that only real clinical exposure teaches, especially in psychiatry.
According to me we don’t choose between emotional or rational thinking but we do live in the tension between both. We should learn to listen our emotions without letting them lead,
and use logic without silencing the heart.
As a medical professional I personally have come across these kind of circumstances many times. But it is very important for us to balance empathy with reason especially when our patients are vulnerable.
During my college days, I often saw how emotional narratives can influence our clinical thinking. Patients would come with injuries explained as accidental falls, while the real cause often abuse remained hidden, sometimes even masked by seemingly caring attendants. Accepting stories at face value can affect diagnosis and decision-making.
With experience, especially during COVID, I realized that while empathy is essential, being rational and observant is equally important. Pausing, assessing circumstances objectively, and not letting emotions alone guide decisions helps us provide safer and more ethical care. Balance between empathy and reason is something every clinician learns with time.
Emotions are essential, yet they should not overpower rational judgment. They are what render us human and may also serve as the driving force behind our personal growth.