The Ultimate Guide to Recognising and Addressing Medical Gaslighting
Going to the doctor should bring relief, as it means you’re finally getting the help and care your body needs. When you’re met with complete disregard, it tends to sting as you question whether you actually need medical aid. It’s important to recognise when you’ve become a victim of medical gaslighting so you can address it.
What Is Medical Gaslighting?
Medical gaslighting is when a medical professional attributes your symptoms to another condition, believing it to be a by-product of your imagination or a psychological condition. It can happen in various ways, sometimes when you least expect it.
One of the most recent upsurges in medical gaslighting occurred during the pandemic. A 2023 study found that 46% of participants in the U.K. with long COVID experienced this maltreatment. Many government and media outlets had ignored such conditions for a while.
What Medical Gaslighting Looks Like
Medical gaslighting takes many forms, from utter dismissal to misdiagnosis. Some women might experience one or the other during their visit, or perhaps a mix of both. Here are a few examples.
Dismissing Concerns
When you go to a doctor, you must state your concerns. Ideally, they would take you seriously and match you with the appropriate medication or treatment. Unfortunately, medical gaslighters fail to listen to the patient, interrupting their discussion and changing the narrative. Being told about your own experience can feel demeaning.
Downplaying Symptoms
Say you have symptoms you’ve been experiencing over the past few days. Doctors may exercise medical gaslighting by suggesting the experience is all in your head or may not be as bad as it seems. Others also showcase such insensitivity in their word choice, which can fill just about any person with self-doubt.
Misdiagnosing the Condition
Medical gaslighting can also look like a misdiagnosis. A cardiovascular disease diagnosis comes 10 years later for women compared to men as their symptoms are different from male heart attacks. Imagine being told it’s likely chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or some other condition and not getting the right prescription for possible heart failure. On top of that, you get unnecessary treatment for an entirely different condition.
The Price of Medical Gaslighting
Medical gaslighting is a global issue that can create plenty of mental turmoil for patients who are just seeking care. It also harms the healthcare industry, as doctors who put patients first and try their hardest to save lives also get a bad reputation.
Dismissal and misdiagnosis also result in senseless medical costs, as you still have to pay for medical appointments at the end of the day. From 2022 to 2023, U.K. households spent an average of £8.9 on health weekly, totalling £462.8 each year. It’s worse in the U.S., as the average family spends about $6,015 or £4,894 out of pocket annually.
Why It Happens
One potential reason for medical gaslighting is a lack of information and inherent bias. Most research studies only have data on men despite the differences in bodily systems with women, which can dismiss most pain and discomfort unintentionally.
Another possibility is doctors may feel too proud to address the actual condition you have at hand, as it would be their personal shortcoming. Hence, they decide to provide a diagnosis based on their own knowledge rather than referring them to someone else. However, this assumption does paint medical professionals in a more abusive light.
How to Overcome Medical Gaslighting
Recognising medical gaslighting is simply the first step. It’s crucial to prevent and address it as best as you can. Here are a few strategies to help overcome medical gaslighting.
Write Down Your Symptoms
Before you even step into a doctor’s office or make the appointment, be fully prepared for the meeting by having a record of your own experiences. Write down the symptoms you felt, as well as the day and time they happened. That way, you can recall your discomfort and frequency throughout a specific period.
Seek Support From Friends and Family
It’s easy to feel swayed by medical gaslighting. Confide in friends and family who are as concerned about your health and well-being. You can even ask them to come to the appointment with you, as they can confirm your observations, answer other questions about your condition, and ask the doctor questions you may not have considered.
Find a Reputable Doctor
Ask for recommendations from people you know. This can help you feel more comfortable talking to a medical professional. Getting a second opinion is also recommended if your diagnosis is unclear or your previous doctors refuse to treat you.
Document Your Experiences
If a doctor decisively rules out certain conditions or requires tests for a condition you’re unsure about, ask them to put their pen to paper. A written document of a medical professional’s diagnosis can help your future practitioners sort out your history, should it have any side effects.
Get the Health Care You Deserve
Medical gaslighting is a worldwide issue that endangers human lives, especially women’s well-being. You must be vigilant during your hospital visits and take the proper countermeasures to put your health first.
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Mia Barnes is a health and wellness writer and the editor-in-chief at Body+Mind. She especially enjoys writing about mental health, physical well-being, mindfulness, and healthy living. When she's not writing, you can find Mia reading romance novels, jogging, and trying new recipes!
