Medical gaslighting refers to a situation in which a healthcare provider dismisses or
invalidates a patient’s symptoms, concerns, or experiences, making the patient feel
as though their health issues are not real or not as serious as they believe.
It involves undermining a patient’s trust in their own perceptions of their
health, leading them to doubt themselves and their symptoms.
To prevent medical gaslighting, both patients and healthcare providers can take
certain steps to prevent the occurance:
1. Patient’s Role:
- Be advocates for your health: Be proactive in seeking medical care, seeking second opinions if necessary, and advocating for your needs during medical appointments.
- Document symptoms: Keep a record of symptoms, their severity, and any changes over time to present a comprehensive picture to healthcare providers.
- Educate yourself: Learn about health conditions, treatment options, and possible side effects to engage in informed discussions with healthcare providers.
- Seek Support: If you feel unheard or dismissed, seek support from friends, family,
or patient advocacy groups.
2. Healthcare Provider’s Role:
- Listen to patients: Take the time to listen actively to patients, asking open-ended
questions to understand their concerns fully.
- Believe Patients: Avoid making assumptions about a patient’s symptoms or dismissing their concerns outright. Believe and validate their experiences.
- Thorough evaluation: Conduct thorough examinations, investigations, and tests to arrive at an accurate diagnosis.
- Communication: Communicate clearly and effectively with patients, explaining medical conditions, treatment options, and the rationale behind decisions.
- Cultural Competency: Be sensitive to the patients’ cultural backgrounds, beliefs, and experiences, as these can influence their health perceptions and behaviors.
3. Establish Trustful Relationships:
- Both healthcare providers and patients should work on building trusting
relationships where open communication and shared decision making are
encouraged.
- Raise Awareness: Promote awareness about medical gaslighting among health care professionals and the general public to improve understanding and address biases.
By fostering a patient centered approach to healthcare, encouraging open
communication, and being sensitive to patients’ needs and experiences, medical
gaslighting can be prevented, leading to better health outcomes and improved
patient-provider relationships.
C/O
TruCare Telehealth & House Calls PNC.