Are You Being Honest With Your Doctor?
Are You Being Honest With Your Doctor?
Are you really honest with your doctor? Everyone wants to put their best foot forward when dealing with other people. You want your boss to think you’re the ideal employee. You want your friends and family to respect you and enjoy your company.
Likewise, when you go to the doctor, you want them to think you’re doing everything you can to maintain and improve your health. However, if you aren’t being totally honest about some of your less-than-savory habits, you could be downplaying some details about your life that could be vital to your health.
The doctor is not there to be judge and jury about your life choices. They are there to help, guide and heal, if necessary. Just what potentially dangerous secrets are you keeping quiet about when you visit the doctor?
Alcohol Consumption
It’s easy to downplay the amount of alcohol you consume but you should not. You should be honest with your doctor. Are you really having only two drinks on Saturday night, or is it one or two drinks every night after work and some binge drinking at a party over the weekend? Alcohol can have a detrimental interaction with many medications. Your health, and possibly your life, could depend on a truthful account of your drinking habits.
Smoking
You know that nothing good comes from smoking, but are you willing to admit to your bad habit to the doctor?
Denying that you smoke, or falsely claiming to have quit smoking, will interfere with your doctor’s effort to identify the cause of a particular ailment or condition. You may be in for a lecture, but you may also be on the road to getting help with medication or counseling. When it comes to smoking, be honest with your doctor and lay it all on the line.
Eating Healthy Diet
Are you eating a healthy diet loaded with plenty of vegetables, whole grains and wholesome proteins?
Or does breakfast mainly consist of pastries, and dinner always be something fried, followed up with a gooey dessert? A poor diet can manifest itself in many ways, from high cholesterol to diabetes. If your doctor knows the true state of your diet, he/she can do a better job of treating you effectively.
Daily Exercise
Many people underestimate just how much exercise they get.
You may have sincere intentions of hitting the gym five days a week, and tell your doctor you are dedicated to this schedule. If the reality is totally different, you are short-changing yourself and interfering with your doctor’s ability to provide optimal care.
Sexual Risks
You may think your sex life is nobody’s business but your own, but your doctor will have a different opinion on that topic.
Sexual activity can be loaded with dangerous health risks, from sexually transmitted diseases to unplanned pregnancies.
Pain or Discomfort
Don’t simply dismiss pain or discomfort as overwork, stress or too little sleep. Let you doctor decide if that headache requires further investigation, or if that sudden change in your weight is the sign of something more sinister. Don’t decide for yourself which symptoms are worth mentioning. That’s why you go to the doctor in the first place.
Your doctor is one of your strongest allies on your health team. They are dedicated to helping you achieve optimal health, but they need your total cooperation and honesty. Don’t be embarrassed to discuss any health topic honestly and in depth. You are both on the same side.