The Hidden Cost of Self-Silencing: How It Impacts Women’s Health

Welcome to the first episode in a five-part series on self-silencing and its profound effect on women’s health. I’m Dr. Brendan McCarthy, Chief Medical Officer at Protea Medical Center, and in this episode, I break down how self-silencing — the learned suppression of one’s needs, emotions, and voice — directly influences weight gain, hormone disruption, autoimmunity, cardiovascular risk, and more.

This is a deeply personal and evidence-backed conversation rooted in decades of clinical experience and medical research. I discuss real patient patterns, the emotional layers behind common health complaints, and why this silent epidemic deserves more space in medicine.

If you or someone you love has ever struggled with feeling unheard, unseen, or overwhelmed by caretaking roles, this is for you.

Citations:
13] Jakubowski, K. P., Barinas-Mitchell, E., Chang, Y.-F., Maki, P. M., Matthews, K. A., & Thurston, R. C. (2021). The Cardiovascular Cost of Silence: Relationships Between Self-silencing and Carotid Atherosclerosis in Midlife Women. *Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 56*(3), 282–290. DOI: 10.1093/abm/kaab046

[27] Eyal, M. (2023, October 3). Self-Silencing Is Making Women Sick. *TIME*.

[5] Jack, D. C. (2010, March 29). Silencing the Self Theory. *OUPblog*.

Dr. Brendan McCarthy is the founder and Chief Medical Officer of Protea Medical Center in Arizona. With over two decades of experience, he’s helped thousands of patients navigate hormonal imbalances using bioidentical HRT, nutrition, and root-cause medicine. He’s also taught and mentored other physicians on integrative approaches to hormone therapy, weight loss, fertility, and more.

If you’re ready to take your health seriously, this podcast is a great place to start.

👇 Tap Subscribe to learn more about what’s actually happening in your body, and what to do about it.

📘 Read Dr. McCarthy’s Book:
Jump Off the Mood Swing – A Sane Woman’s Guide to Her Crazy Hormones
https://www.amazon.com/Jump-Off-Mood-...

📲 Follow Dr. McCarthy:
Instagram: @drbrendanmccarthy
TikTok: @drbrendanmccarthy
Website: www.protealife.com

💬 Got a question or topic for a future episode? Let us know in the comments!