I got an interesting email today and I want to share part of it with you.
It was written by a friend of mine describing his difficulty finding a descent doctor to help him with both a physical illness and the related anxiety that has decided to tag along.
It went a little something like this:
“Doctors won’t even bother with things like diet, herbs, exercise or spiritual type stuff. They just want to give you the latest antidepressant and boot you out of the office. It was funny because after two hours [of seeing an alternative doctor] I was getting antsy and wanted to go, but he had more questions to ask. Such a stark contrast to my regular doctors who seem to hate the fact that their patients are even there.”
When I read those few lines of text I was reminded of my first visit to my family doctor after I started experiencing anxiety symptoms.
See, when he thought I was there for a “legitimate” reason he seemed concerned and genuinely tuned into our conversation. However, as soon as I revealed that I thought my symptoms could be related to anxiety his demeanor changed a bit. In short, he became dismissive.
He wrote me a low dose prescription for Prozac and sent me on my way.
I was kind of pissed, but at the same time I figured he knew what he was doing. He also didn’t talk to me about anxiety, what could be causing it, or what things I could do to try to mitigate its effect.
I just accepted it. But you don’t have to accept being brushed off like that.
To begin, never forget that healthcare is a business and that you’re a consumer. Always remember that you have rights and options.
There are a few things you can do to ensure that you find a good doctor: Here’s a short list of important things to remember.
1. Not all doctors are good
I think to some extent we are trained to think that all doctors are equal, well, that’s not the case. Some doctors are incompetent, uncaring, or just overall bad humans. On the other hand, there are tons of wonderful doctors in the world.
Take the time to find one that fits you. Do some research about who you’re dealing with. For example, is your doctor board certified? You gotta know stuff like that.
2. Not all facilities are good
If you receive care at a shabby looking county hospital then perhaps, just maybe, some of the doctors on staff aren’t the best to be had. Good and great facilities attract quality doctors. So be aware of where you’re getting your care as much as from whom. Want to compare hospitals near you? Go to hospitalcompare.hhs.gov.
3. Use the web to your advantage
Go to your state’s main website to search for information about doctors practicing in your area.
You can also visit healthgrades.com to find ratings on doctors near you.
4. Vote with your feet
Generally, if you click with someone you know it within minutes, so don’t ignore your gut feeling on this one. If you don’t trust, like, or otherwise have faith in the doctor you’re seeing then you have every right to look elsewhere.
Conclusion
It’s important to find a doctor that is both highly qualified and also likeable. What’s wrong with wanting a compassionate doctor in your corner as you find a solution to the challenge(s) you’re facing? Nothing I say. Be smart, assertive, and demand the best and that’s what you’ll get.
Remember, treating anxiety requires a good deal of knowledge but, it ALSO requires patience and caring. And although a doctor may not be your sole source of anxiety relief, he/she can be a major part of it, so choose wisely.
Now, I need to know. How many of you have felt dissed by your doctor when they suspected or knew that you had an anxiety problem?
What did you do about it? Do share!
This is a fantastic article, Paul… and may even be worth a podcast at some point. You make great points. In my opinion, people should never be shy about doctor shopping and getting 2nd opinions. No, you don’t want to to it to a point of obsession or health anxiety, but there’s nothing wrong with demanding quality medical care. If our shocks go bad on our car, we’d all probably get two estimates at least. Nothing wrong with getting a couple for your well-being. Furthermore… someone with anxiety needs a special kind of doctor. They need one who understands the disorder enough to consider it, but not to dismiss all health issues because of it. It’s the same mindset we as the anxiety-patients have to have… we need to consider the condition at all times, but be aware enough to seek proper attention when our logic and instincts tell us to do so.
Thanks again, for all the great work Paul!
I have sort of the opposite problem. My doctors won’t seem to accept that I have anxiety, and keep going down these crazy roads to try to figure out my symptoms, when I’m almost positive my symptoms (rapid heart rate and headaches) are mostly due to anxiety. Sure there’s a physical component to those, but MRIs, EKGs, Holter Monitor tests, etc. have all turned out fine…everything is healthy…but the DOCTORS won’t believe that it could possibly be anxiety.
I did finally find an awesome clinic in San Diego at Scripps Hospital that is an integrative health clinic – they are regular doctors, but they will look at lifestyle changes, supplements, biofeedback, accupuncture, etc., before turning to drugs. It’s been very helpful working with them. They weren’t totally convinced it was anxiety, either, but biofeedback, exercise, diet, and magnesium are starting to alleviate some of my symptoms. A therapist is working on my anxiety. Slowly, slowly, I’m starting to feel like myself again. They say that if all this doesn’t totally cure the heart rate, they’ll try me on some meds again, but they’re willing to wait and see if we can fix it without that. Yay!!
Well I must say its a great article and an eye opener as well. I have gone through same situation where i had to change my doc becz for 7yrs he kept me on same dose of prothadein AND Pexep CR which was not solving my problem.The biggest pain is the time they devote to patients,i have even seen doctors who can attend 7-8 patients in 1 hr..once they reach to certain level their focus shifts to other things. Well its hard to understand that no one can keep a check on them…
Thanks Mr.Paul
@ “T”
That is a rare problem, T. Generally, if a doc knows you have anxiety, that’s their ticket to the easy diagnosis. And, to their credit.. it’s often true, but it doesn’t mean people with anxiety can’t get sick.
I’m glad you’re having some success and feeling better!
Hi Paul
I dissed my doctors a few weeks back. I was on 150mg a day of zoloft. My anxiety was getting worse and I couldn’t feel anything emotionally. Like a walking anxious zombie. I went to the doctors and guess what within minutes I was walking out with a prescription for 200 mg of zoloft. I decided there and then enough was enough. I weaned my self off over a couple of weeks. The withdrawl symptons were herendous. I went and saw a chinese herbalist/accupuncturist. After a couple of weeks of suffering I decided to take the little black round shaped herbal pills. Wow the brain zaps dissapeared and I am getting my mojo back. Yes I do feel anxious – mild panic attack today in fact, but I can feel, I can feel happiness, sadness. I let time pass (Claire Weekes) and let the ego do its worse. I have decided to ‘feel’ confident. Its amazing. I never went to the doctors and told them, I knew what they would say – try this one instead. No thanks = Never again!
Excellent blog! It is amazing that in a world where anxiety has become the new norm, many physicians have opted to remain dismissive and offer only drugs to clear up the symptoms that anxiety suffers deal with on a daily basis. It is important that you work with your provider and speak to him regarding your concerns with his/her perceived lack of interest or dismission of your symptoms. I have been to quite a few GP’s and have had to remind them that I am a person with real symptoms and that I am worth investing some time and resources into. Speaking your mind in a professional/concerned manner will many times guide them to take care of you as an individual and not just a symptom.