Knowing how to stand up for yourself at a doctor's appointment can be difficult. I've had this for years and still struggle sometimes. However, creating a patient-physician alliance where you work together is part of a comprehensive health plan. To participate in this work, you must be able to advocate for your own needs and desires. Here we explain how to defend yourself at the doctor's appointment.

Why is it so difficult to defend yourself at the doctor's appointment?

There are many reasons why it is difficult to defend yourself in front of a doctor. Sometimes it depends on the doctor, sometimes it depends on the patient, sometimes it depends on the situation.

Of course, some doctors are more difficult to defend than others. Some doctors have an old-school mindset where the doctor is a father figure. In other words, they are the parent and the patient is the child. The child then does what the parent says without question.

This is how the doctor-patient interaction used to be. Obviously, these types of doctors are less accepting of you advocating for your own mental health. Most doctors understand that this is no longer the best way.

In other cases, some patients have great difficulty standing up for themselves. Regardless of the doctor or the situation, the patient simply won't talk. It may be that the person is acutely ill depression or excessive anxietyor it may simply be the individual's personality.

Finally, sometimes the condition itself makes you unable to defend yourself at a doctor's appointment. For example, if you don't know what you want or don't know enough about why you're being treated, it can be impossible to know how to advocate for yourself at a doctor's appointment.

Why you should know how to defend yourself at a doctor's appointment

It's not just about standing up for yourself; It is actually about improved prognosis. When your doctor-patient relationship is better, your likely outcome actually improves. See here:

In the literature, most of the onus is placed on the doctor to make this happen, and that's fair as they are the professionals, but since the two people are in a relationship, I would suggest that the patients also have some responsibility.

What you need to know to defend yourself at the doctor's appointment

Before discussing how to defend yourself at the doctor's appointment, there are key things you should understand. These include:

Tips on how to defend yourself at the doctor's appointment

Here are some tips to protect yourself at the doctor's appointment:

• Consider the factors that may stand in your way (eg knowledge, anxiety, etc.). Develop a plan for how to overcome these obstacles.
• Think about what you want from your doctor's appointment. Why are you participating? What are your goals? What do you need to communicate? What information do you need from them?
• Write down everything you need to consider during the meeting. (This may include meeting goals, questions, information about side effects, etc.) Take that information with you. (It is common to forget these things without mentioning them to the doctor.)
• think about it bring someone on your date to advocate for you. Sometimes it's easier to stand up for ourselves with caution in the room. Or sometimes, another person can defend for us more effectively than we can,
• be with your doctor beforehand during your appointment. Make sure your doctor knows what you need. There can be no successful alliance with you without your active participation.
• Ask your doctor to write their recommendations on your chart – especially if you don't agree with them. For example, if you feel you need a test and your doctor won't order it, tell your doctor you want it written in your chart. If your doctor is unreasonably refusing you a test, they will often refuse if they think there will be a written record of it.

What if Your Doctor Doesn't Listen to You?

Unfortunately, sometimes no matter how well you do for yourself, some doctors just don't listen, are unreasonable, or have no interest in a positive doctor-patient relationship. If you've tried your best and the relationship isn't working, reach out to someone else. Your doctor is not doing you a favor by treating you; your doctor actually works for you. If they are not earning their money, you have the right to fire them. (Yes, I know it's not always possible. But it's worth doing any way you can.)

No matter what, continue to protect yourself and your health. You are the one who has to live with your health and treatment, not your doctor.

Photo by Flickr user Vic.

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