‘Chronic burnout’: The most brutally accurate parts of The Pitt, according to real doctors

The Pitt season two has been yet another emotional gut punch, and if it’s felt a little too real at times, you’re not imagining it. Film Shrine spoke to doctors who say the show’s accuracy reflects a very big, very real problem. 

As Dr. Langon says in the first chapter of HBO Max’s medical drama, “This is a tough place for sensitive people, but we need them badly.” But no matter what your temperament, working in a high-pressure emergency room takes its toll.

Emily Mendez, a former ER psychiatric clinician, told us the series “accurately captures the emotional undercurrent” that comes with the continuous state of urgency in environments like the Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center.

“While a TV show can’t fully recreate the experience, the themes of high-stakes decisions and emotional overwhelm are all too real,” Mendez explained. 

“My experience working in the ER is that it was fast-paced and intense. You are assessing severe crisis citations, back-to-back, for hours at a time. There is an urgency that goes along with that.”

During her time at the ER, she would sometimes spend entire shifts on her feet, where it wasn’t uncommon for her to forget to drink water or eat meals. But there was also an “unspoken pressure” to keep on going and remain calm even when there’s no gas left in the tank. 

Not only does this impact staff’s physical health but their mental health too. “It can be emotionally heavy, and you have little time to process this before taking care of the next patient,” Mendez continued.

“That explains why many ER workers experience high levels of burnout. It’s simply emotionally and physically exhausting.”

“One thing I think is especially important is the toll that this takes over time,” Mendez added. “The pressure can slowly wear down even the most resilient clients over time, as I think was portrayed accurately in episode 14.”

Just like it is for Dr. Robby and co, in real life it’s not the extreme cases, but the repetition and lack of recovery time that breaks healthcare workers down.

From an outsider’s perspective, therapist Lauren Chase told Film Shrine that burnout, anxiety and emotional exhaustion are some of the most common themes she sees. 

“I regularly work with clients in healthcare who look capable and composed on the outside but feel overwhelmed, depleted and stretched too thin internally,” she explained. 

Chase praised The Pitt for how it captures the intensity of these roles, but said it misses the more chronic, quieter side of burnout. 

“It’s not always dramatic,” Chase continued. “More often, it looks like emotional numbness, increased anxiety, difficulty turning work off, and a growing sense of disconnection.”

Another theme The Pitt handles with care, so to speak, is addiction. Characters like Louie and Dr Langdon highlight both sides of it, but there are multiple moments in the show that don’t shy away from shining a light on the issue. 

Addiction specialist Dr Joseph Volpicelli said The Pitt’s depiction of patients like Louie – who repeatedly returns to the ER with alcohol-related complications – is “realistic”, but also illustrates a frustrating reality within healthcare.

“It often takes a crisis for people to get into treatment,” he explained, noting that many cases aren’t addressed until something goes seriously wrong. 

“We don’t wait for someone to have a stroke before we treat high blood pressure,” he added, but with addiction, it’s often left until it reaches that point. 

Discussing the journey of Louie, who tragically dies in season two, Dr Volpicelli said he felt “frustrated” as it “missed an opportunity to help teach the general public about some good, effective treatment options.”

“But I also have to point out that it’s probably an accurate portrayal,” he added. Ultimately, Dr Volpicelli argued, the issue isn’t the show’s portrayal but the system it reflects.

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Featured image credit: HBO Max