I came up against this situation several times recently, and I wasn't exactly sure how I could help. In each case, the circumstances were different but the issue was the same.
In one case, a gentleman had fallen and injured his hand, but he didn't seek care for it at the time. Weeks later, he was still complaining about the pain...and still refusing to have it evaluated and treated.
Another person had multiple medical problems including diabetes and a heart condition, but he neglected to see his doctor for follow-up. He constantly complained about disabling shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling in his legs, and back pain, but refused to have his symptoms evaluated and treated.
A third person had a persistent cough and wheezing that she blamed on the "flu", even though she was a smoker. She knew it could be something serious, but she refused to have it checked.
"Pain is inevitable.
Suffering is optional."
~Haruki Murakami~
Why do you think people avoid seeking medical care while they continue to complain about their symptoms? What is the story behind it?
Certainly, the prohibitive cost of health care is a major deterrent for many, especially the uninsured. They simply can't afford to see a health care provider, to pay for the diagnostic workup, or to cover the cost of treatment.
Then there is fear...fear it might be something serious that they just can't face at the time. The shortness of breath that could signal heart failure. The cough that might indicate lung cancer. The injury that might end their career.
Which brings us to the issue of denial. Let's say the woman with the cough, above, lost her mother to lung cancer when she was just two years older than our reluctant patient. It isn't surprising she would pretend her cough was something simple, a cold or the flu, rather than confront the reality she holds in her heart.
An injury that threatens one's job is more complicated. Taking time off to heal is a problem for a person who has a home and a family, and depends upon a steady income. If it isn't too bad, he can't be blamed for waiting a while to see if things get better on their own. On the other hand, the patient who neglects follow up or who doesn't comply with recommendations for treatment might be milking the system to secure or extend disability benefits. That's a whole different story...
"I told the doctor I broke my leg
in two places.
He told me to quit going to those places."
~Henny Youngman~
If you encounter someone who insists he is sick or in pain but refuses to seek care, it is important to understand his reasons. His story. His circumstances, fears, and expectations. If you are his health care provider, this will help both of you navigate the issue, and it may offer him a pathway to healing.
"There is more wisdom in your body
than in your deepest philosophy."
~Friedrich Nietzsche~
jan
