Doctors and functional disorders — how I escaped heartsink
Dr Gillian Deakin explains why she did a deep dive into functional conditions during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
![](https://images.media.ausdoc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/10121453/Gillianportrait-1-300x225.jpg)
There is a term in medicine that has always made me feel uncomfortable. It gets used less now, but you still hear it: heartsink — specifically those with functional conditions.
But my eyes have been opened, and I want to explain why.