Jotting down notes during your appointment can help you follow up on things you don't understand, she adds. Come prepared with a list of questions and concerns you hope to discuss during your visit. To ensure that your concerns are being taken seriously, Rosen advises you take notes before visiting your doctor, and list any changes you've noticed in your health. How to advocate for yourself at the doctor's office "I'm sure that's not … " (prior to testing).Here are a few phrases that could also be indicators of medical gaslighting: If persistent symptoms are quickly attributed to weight, stress, anxiety, depression or work overload, Rosen says it is possible that your concerns are being minimized. She later discovered that she had two tumors in her knee. Sacks interviewed a Black woman who experienced knee pain for 15 years and was constantly told by physicians that it was as a result of her weight. "One thing to remember when we go to the doctor is that the provider has specialized knowledge of healthcare and health topics in general, but you know your body," Sacks says, "You do know more than anyone else what is happening to yourself." It can be difficult to know when gaslighting is happening to you, especially when you're assuming your doctor knows best, says Sacks.īecause care providers have expertise that you may not have, it is very likely that you'll take their word even if they're being dismissive of your symptoms, she says. If you think you've experienced medical gaslighting or want to be prepared and get ahead of it happening to you, here are a few signs to look out for and tips for advocating for yourself. Having your health concerns minimized can lead to serious life or death consequences, says Sacks.īlack women historically have the highest maternal mortality rates, and many suspect that is due to institutional racism and a dismissal of their concerns. "And then when you compound that with a profound anti-blackness that runs through all of society, these groups of people are more likely to be dismissed." "Women in general in the healthcare space are invalidated because of pervasive misogyny," says Sacks. Especially among certain marginalized groups like women and minorities, including Black and Latino people: Those groups experience medical gaslighting more often.įor folks who belong to more than one of those groups, like Black women, it can be even worse, says Tina Sacks, an associate professor in the school of social welfare at UC Berkeley. Gaslighting, in psychology, refers to a certain kind of manipulation where you are tricked into questioning your own reality.Īnd in health care, medical gaslighting is pretty common, says Rosen. It can be so subtle that you may not even realize if it's happening to you.
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