Ever Heard of Medical Gaslighting?

 

 

 

I was listening to The Today Show while I was getting ready for work. I stopped in my tracks when I heard them talking about Medical Gaslighting. 

That was a new term, so I had to listen to see what they were talking about. I have heard of gaslighting before, but not MEDICAL gaslighting.

Psychology Today says gaslighting is a form of manipulation and psychological control. Victims are deliberately given false information that leads them to question what they know about themselves. They may end up doubting their memory, perception, and sanity. 

The Today Show segment focused on how women are not believed when they go to their doctor. Some doctors may not listen to the patient - and instead just chalk up the symptoms to a woman being depressed, anxious, or just fat.

New flash - you can be overweight and STILL have medical problems....

One woman was overweight and her doctor repeatedly dismissed her complaints of stomach and back pain. She went through this for 4 years - until she finally went to the ER. By this point, she was vomiting and losing her hair. 

ER doctors found a 25 pound tumor growing on her ovary. Her doctor had missed that and had been brushing her off as being "dramatic". ER doctors said she was weeks away from death. 

Why does this happen to women? 

Did you know that almost ALL of the medical research is done on men, male animals, or male cells? 

Women are NOT "little men". Our bodies are shaped differently, have different hormones, and we metabolize medications differently. Women should be included in medical research.The fact that this isn't happening is baffling to me!

What if your doctor isn't listening? 

You can say:

These symptoms are NOT normal for me or my body

Medical care requires teamwork. In a perfect world, you would be a on a team with your doctor. You two would decide on treatment options together. You can also remind them that:

Although they have decades of training and experience, YOU are the expert on your body. 

Some hospitals recognize what is going on and have applied for grant funding to study women's issues, train doctors to recognize gender bias, and empower women to stand up for themselves.

Take a few minutes to watch the video, you will be glad you did!

If you feel like your doctor still won't listen to you, change doctors!  It's your body, and it's your job to take care of it.