Hi. Welcome to the blog for my IB English B class at Jur Hronec High School in Bratislava, Slovakia. Below you will find links to other websites and discussion questions. My students are required to comment on one of these postings every month and also respond to each other's comments. Feel free to add your two bits, but be aware that all comments are monitored before being posted.
Would you
ever lie to your doctor?Is lying to
your doctor ever justified?What can be
done to help make the doctor/patient relationship more open and honest? Do lies (often white lies) that doctors tell patients exacerbate the situation?
I find this article very relatable, as I have found myself in the position of a patient many times in recent years. A year ago, when my rehabilitation doctor asked if I was exercising regularly it was hard telling her that I was not. I was tempted to lie because as the article mentions I was too embarrassed to tell the truth. The doctor scolded me and explained why it is important to rehabilitate regularly. I understand why people lie, as I myself have been tempted to do so. However, it is important to realize doctors work mostly with the information provided by patients and by lying to them you are making it more difficult for them to correctly diagnose your health problem.
On the other hand, the doctors lie to patients as well. From my experience, these lies are mostly white lies, which means they are not that harmful and people use them to avoid disappointing or hurting the feelings of a person. I remember two years ago a doctor told me my injury will definitely heal within a few months. Now I know he only said it for me to stay positive. I don’t blame him for it. What I found annoying was that doctors always said something like: “Time is the best healer,” without even giving me a proper diagnosis. I understand why doctors do this, it is just that after all this time I would appreciate if they were completely honest with me.
@Henrich, I had exactly the same experience a few months ago. I went to my orthopedist and when it came to the question of whether I practiced the exercises for my scoliosis, I panicked and told her I did. Of course, that was true only partially, but I couldn't help myself, suddenly I just felt all the guilt for not being responsible for my health condition and making up excuses the whole year, and subsequently, it was much easier to just lie at the moment. I completely agree with you, in the long run, it causes only more harm. It is in our best interest to, if not responsibly follow the doctor’s idea of treatment, at least be honest with them. It is us seeking for their help in the first place. Another thing is, however, when a doctor lies to their patient. I do not think it was a bad thing to do in @Henrich’s case, because the psychological state of a patient plays a big role in their recovery. Positive thoughts are considered to have overall positive impacts on people. It might not help always, but if the health condition is not life-threatening, little positivity never hurt anybody.
As someone whose family has several members that are doctors, I can quite confidently say that your doctor probably does not care what kind of person you are and judge you for it. A doctor's job, and in an ideal case ultimate life goal, is to help people with their medical issues. As per the Hippocratic Oath sworn by students of medicine, a doctor is supposed to be an unbiased, non-judgemental person that one can openly talk to, even if the conversation might be uncomfortable. I cannot think of any situation where lying to your doctor is justified because you're only harming yourself. As Henrich said, doctors work mainly with the information you provide.
I think that the fear of being judged is not the only problem here. I think people also lie to their doctors because admitting unhealthy behaviors to a doctor also means admitting them to oneself. Would I prefer not to tell my doctor about my certain detrimental habits because even I don't like thinking about them? Absolutlely. But I am well aware that I will receive better medical treatment if I stay honest. If one wants to resolve his or her medical problems and live a better life, one must be ready to hear and accept something that he or she really does not want to.
I must admit that I am also one of the people that lie to their doctors. As S. Perry said: "We don't want doctors to judge us- or lecture us." I agree with this statement and find myself in it. However, it is different lying to simple questions and lying to serious ones. For example, flossing is one of the things that most people consider unnecessary and often lie to their doctors about. If my dentist asks me if I floss every evening and morning, I will most definitely say I do. Although I am far from flossing twice a day, I will say I do just to be viewed in a better light. On the other hand, things like alcohol, using contraceptives or having other serious medical conditions are much more important to disclose. If I went into surgery and were about to be anesthetised, I would not dare to lie. In this case, even a small lie could cost me my life. When it comes to health, it is important to know that our health is precious and can be very quickly lost.
Further, I think that the core of this problem is the communication gap between the doctor and the patient. However, it is not always on the patient's side. Most doctors in Slovakia do not communicate properly with their patients. Not once was I asked about my opinion about the medications that I was prescribed nor was I asked if I am okay with the treatment I would receive. Fagerlin's question went: "Is there a way to train clinicians to help their patient to feel more comfortable?" In my opinion, we should first show, how significant is the doctor's attitude and approach when asking questions. People are usually less likely to answer a question honestly if the doctor acts irritated or superior. In order to get the most honest answer, doctors should create an atmosphere where they are polite, direct and equal with the patient.
I find this article very relatable, as I have found myself in the position of a patient many times in recent years. A year ago, when my rehabilitation doctor asked if I was exercising regularly it was hard telling her that I was not. I was tempted to lie because as the article mentions I was too embarrassed to tell the truth. The doctor scolded me and explained why it is important to rehabilitate regularly. I understand why people lie, as I myself have been tempted to do so. However, it is important to realize doctors work mostly with the information provided by patients and by lying to them you are making it more difficult for them to correctly diagnose your health problem.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, the doctors lie to patients as well. From my experience, these lies are mostly white lies, which means they are not that harmful and people use them to avoid disappointing or hurting the feelings of a person. I remember two years ago a doctor told me my injury will definitely heal within a few months. Now I know he only said it for me to stay positive. I don’t blame him for it. What I found annoying was that doctors always said something like: “Time is the best healer,” without even giving me a proper diagnosis. I understand why doctors do this, it is just that after all this time I would appreciate if they were completely honest with me.
This is a comment from Anna:
Delete@Henrich, I had exactly the same experience a few months ago. I went to my orthopedist and when it came to the question of whether I practiced the exercises for my scoliosis, I panicked and told her I did. Of course, that was true only partially, but I couldn't help myself, suddenly I just felt all the guilt for not being responsible for my health condition and making up excuses the whole year, and subsequently, it was much easier to just lie at the moment. I completely agree with you, in the long run, it causes only more harm. It is in our best interest to, if not responsibly follow the doctor’s idea of treatment, at least be honest with them. It is us seeking for their help in the first place.
Another thing is, however, when a doctor lies to their patient. I do not think it was a bad thing to do in @Henrich’s case, because the psychological state of a patient plays a big role in their recovery. Positive thoughts are considered to have overall positive impacts on people. It might not help always, but if the health condition is not life-threatening, little positivity never hurt anybody.
As someone whose family has several members that are doctors, I can quite confidently say that your doctor probably does not care what kind of person you are and judge you for it. A doctor's job, and in an ideal case ultimate life goal, is to help people with their medical issues. As per the Hippocratic Oath sworn by students of medicine, a doctor is supposed to be an unbiased, non-judgemental person that one can openly talk to, even if the conversation might be uncomfortable. I cannot think of any situation where lying to your doctor is justified because you're only harming yourself. As Henrich said, doctors work mainly with the information you provide.
ReplyDeleteI think that the fear of being judged is not the only problem here. I think people also lie to their doctors because admitting unhealthy behaviors to a doctor also means admitting them to oneself. Would I prefer not to tell my doctor about my certain detrimental habits because even I don't like thinking about them? Absolutlely. But I am well aware that I will receive better medical treatment if I stay honest. If one wants to resolve his or her medical problems and live a better life, one must be ready to hear and accept something that he or she really does not want to.
I must admit that I am also one of the people that lie to their doctors. As S. Perry said: "We don't want doctors to judge us- or lecture us." I agree with this statement and find myself in it. However, it is different lying to simple questions and lying to serious ones. For example, flossing is one of the things that most people consider unnecessary and often lie to their doctors about. If my dentist asks me if I floss every evening and morning, I will most definitely say I do. Although I am far from flossing twice a day, I will say I do just to be viewed in a better light. On the other hand, things like alcohol, using contraceptives or having other serious medical conditions are much more important to disclose. If I went into surgery and were about to be anesthetised, I would not dare to lie. In this case, even a small lie could cost me my life. When it comes to health, it is important to know that our health is precious and can be very quickly lost.
ReplyDeleteFurther, I think that the core of this problem is the communication gap between the doctor and the patient. However, it is not always on the patient's side. Most doctors in Slovakia do not communicate properly with their patients. Not once was I asked about my opinion about the medications that I was prescribed nor was I asked if I am okay with the treatment I would receive. Fagerlin's question went: "Is there a way to train clinicians to help their patient to feel more comfortable?" In my opinion, we should first show, how significant is the doctor's attitude and approach when asking questions. People are usually less likely to answer a question honestly if the doctor acts irritated or superior. In order to get the most honest answer, doctors should create an atmosphere where they are polite, direct and equal with the patient.