Why Gaslighting Matters in the Healthcare Sector & How to Deal with It Effectively

From awareness to action: Confronting gaslighting in medicine, empowering patients, and empathizing with providers

Non-members can read this story via my friend link.

I first encountered the term gaslighting in theaters in the 1960s, but it was coined before I was born. It was popularized from a play and 1944 film adaptation of Gas Light, in which a husband manipulated his wife into believing she was losing her sanity by dimming the gas lights in their home and denying that the lights flickered when she noticed them.

During my postgraduate studies, I gained valuable insights into the cognitive processes, social dynamics, and psychological mechanisms underlying gaslighting. These insights helped me understand this harmful behavior and informed me on how to prevent and address it effectively.

Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which a person intentionally or unintentionally attempts to make another person question their perception, memory, or reality. These subtle behaviors can involve denying the truth, minimizing the other person’s feelings or experiences, or deliberately misleading them to doubt their sanity or judgment.

As a complex, multi-faceted psychological issue, in a broader sense, gaslighting can occur in various personal, family, professional, and societal relationships. It can have damaging effects on the victim’s self-esteem, confidence, and mental health.

Recently, I came across an inspiring story written by a medical doctor titled Have Doctors Stopped Listening to Their Patients? Dr. Naidorf’s story reflects her professional experiences. The story is also linked to a book I read before, inspiring me to write this piece to share my experiences, reviews, and perspectives from multiple angles.

While reading Dr Lisa Sander’s best-selling book, Every Patient Tells a Story, in 2009 and later listening to its poignant audio version, I understood that throughout history, physicians have never exerted such extensive knowledge, tools, and skills as they do today in diagnosing diseases. However, amidst this era of cutting-edge medicine and healthcare facilities, mistakes still occur, diagnoses are missed, and symptoms or test results are misunderstood.

In exploring modern medicine’s complexities, Dr. Sanders reveals that while knowledge is indispensable, it alone cannot untangle the intricate web of illnesses. She offers a candid glimpse into the detective work inherent in diagnosing almost every illness, with the blend of uncertainty and intrigue that doctors encounter when faced with sick or dying patients.

Through gripping tales of patients grappling with perplexing symptoms, Dr Sanders highlights the critical importance and unexpected challenges of eliciting the patient’s story, navigating the intricacies of the physical exam, facilitating effective doctor-to-patient and doctor-to-doctor communication, interpreting test results, and averting the potential disasters of diagnostic errors.

My First & Unforgettable Experience of Gaslighting in Healthcare and How It Affected Me

When I was pursuing my first degree, I began experiencing unbearable pain in my shoulders, hip, and legs, which caused me to limp. Concerned, my friends and lecturers encouraged me to see a doctor. Before this, I had never needed medical attention in the city and had no medical history there.

Upon arriving at the clinic, I encountered a long queue. After waiting an hour, instantly feeling like a number, I was finally seen by a doctor of mature age with a serious look. I described my severe pain to him, expecting compassion.

However, instead of taking my symptoms seriously and allowing me to articulate my situation, he quickly dismissed them and prescribed a painkiller in 2 minutes. He instructed me to return if the pain persisted after two weeks. I had empathy for him as he looked more stressed than me.

Unfortunately, the pain persisted, prompting me to revisit the clinic. This time, the same doctor inquired about my physical activities briefly. I mentioned that I could not exercise, including running, table tennis, or taekwondo, my favorite activities, due to the pain.

Disappointingly, he insisted that there was nothing physically wrong with me and attributed the pain to being “all in my mind.” He then prescribed a stronger painkiller with anti-inflammatory properties, leaving me feeling invalidated and unsure of what steps to take next.

Upon sharing my disappointing experience with a mentor, he advised me to seek a second opinion from a different clinic. This time, after several months, the doctor listened attentively to my concerns and promptly referred me to a rheumatologist as he sensed the chronic pain. To my dismay, the specialist diagnosis revealed rheumatoid arthritis.

Ironically, even after receiving a diagnosis, I encountered further dismissal from the specialist, who insisted that I continue medication for a lifetime, leaving me feeling as though I had no choice in the matter. However, in the following years, through adopting healthier lifestyle choices, I managed to alleviate arthritis symptoms caused by an overactive immune system and regain a healthier life.

I admire and respect healthcare professionals who undergo years of rigorous study and commit their lives to supporting patients during their most difficult moments. Many of these professionals genuinely empathize with their patients.

However, like anyone else, they too can succumb to persistent work pressures that may lead them to overlook the unspoken needs of their clients, inadvertently causing psychological and emotional distress. Therefore, I want to briefly touch on the impact and implications of these psychological and emotional situations.

The Impact and Implications of Gaslighting in Healthcare

In a 2021 paper in the Journal of Family Physicians of Canada, the key focus is power dynamics. The paper explores the concept of medical gaslighting, historically associated with physicians dismissing women’s health concerns, perpetuating the stereotype of women as irrational and hysterical.

The paper states that rooted in power dynamics, gaslighting often targets individuals lacking cultural, economic, and social capital, exacerbating existing inequalities in medicine and especially affecting younger, racialized, non-specialized healthcare workers.

The key takeaway of the paper is that, unlike overt forms of bullying, gaslighting operates subtly, making it harder to detect and address. Despite its covert nature, gaslighting can have profound effects on the self-esteem and mental well-being of medical professionals, particularly women, contributing to a lack of confidence and hindered career advancement in healthcare leadership.

However, from my observations, gaslighting poses a considerable challenge for patients and healthcare professionals. It chips away at patients’ trust in their healthcare providers, shakes their belief in their symptoms, and can result in misdiagnosis or insufficient treatment, adding undue strain.

When patients feel ignored or invalidated, they might hesitate to seek assistance or follow medical guidance, greatly impacting their overall well-being. Providers and patients can adopt various strategies to address gaslighting in healthcare effectively.

How about patients gaslighting professionals?

The term gaslighting is traditionally associated with situations where people in positions of power manipulate those with less authority. However, power dynamics can exist in various relationships, including between patients and healthcare professionals.

In some cases, patients may attempt to manipulate or deceive healthcare professionals for personal gain, to avoid accountability, or due to underlying psychological factors.

Patients might engage in behaviors that challenge healthcare professionals' credibility or authority, such as downplaying symptoms, exaggerating medical histories, or refusing to acknowledge the efficacy of recommended treatments.

This can create a challenging dynamic for healthcare professionals, who must navigate complex patient interactions while upholding ethical standards and delivering quality care.

While these behaviors may not always fit the traditional definition of gaslighting, they can still impact the therapeutic relationship and undermine trust between patients and healthcare professionals.

In these exceptional situations, healthcare providers must approach patient interactions with empathy, an open mind, and a steadfast commitment to maintaining professional boundaries. If situations become unmanageable or contentious, providers should be prepared to escalate them to their supervisors or appropriate authorities for resolution.

How can we prevent and deal with gaslighting effectively?

As someone who has navigated healthcare systems as a patient, parent, and consultant, I have learned a few lessons that I’d like to share briefly.

Firstly, patients should feel empowered to advocate for themselves, openly discussing their symptoms and medical history with their providers. In turn, healthcare professionals should create a supportive environment where patients feel heard and respected, free from judgment or dismissal.

Validation is vital in this relationship. Even if a diagnosis doesn’t immediately align with a patient’s concerns, healthcare providers should acknowledge and validate their experiences. This builds trust and strengthens the patient-provider relationship, enhancing communication and collaboration in developing treatment plans.

Education empowers patients. By understanding their health conditions and rights, they can confidently advocate for appropriate care. Similarly, healthcare professionals should receive training on recognizing and addressing gaslighting behaviors, ensuring patient-centered care remains a priority.

Patients who feel their concerns aren’t adequately addressed can always seek a second opinion. They can also enlist support from friends, family, or advocacy groups to navigate the healthcare system and advocate for their needs.

Lastly, healthcare organizations play a crucial role in addressing gaslighting. Establishing clear ethical guidelines and protocols for handling patient complaints ensures accountability and upholds standards of care.

Nurturing a culture of transparency and accountability can help minimize the undesirable impact and implications of gaslighting in healthcare.

Conclusions and Takeaways

The issue of gaslighting in healthcare is a multifaceted challenge impacting both patients and professionals. It undermines trust between patients and healthcare providers and casts doubt on the legitimacy of patients’ experiences, potentially leading to misdiagnosis or inadequate treatment.

When patients feel dismissed or invalidated, the consequences can be profound. They may be less willing to seek help and adhere to medical advice, thus jeopardizing their overall well-being.

However, actionable strategies are available to effectively address gaslighting in healthcare. In my perspective, awareness is the first step in combating gaslighting. Patients and healthcare professionals should be vigilant for subtle manipulative behaviors that undermine trust and confidence.

It is crucial to create a supportive and empathetic environment where patients feel comfortable expressing their concerns. Healthcare professionals should actively listen to patients’ experiences and validate their feelings to build trust and rapport.

Patients should feel empowered to advocate for themselves and assert their needs in their healthcare journey. Educating oneself about health conditions and rights can equip patients to navigate the healthcare system effectively.

Healthcare professionals should receive training on recognizing and addressing manipulative behaviors. Providers can mitigate the risk of psychological manipulation by prioritizing patient-centered care and avoiding dismissive attitudes.

Patients should not hesitate to seek second opinions or enlist the support of friends, family, or advocacy groups when faced with dismissive behavior from healthcare providers.

Healthcare organizations have the power to address gaslighting by establishing clear ethical guidelines and protocols for handling patient and physician complaints. Creating a culture of accountability and transparency can help prevent manipulative behavior and promote patient/professional trust.

Implementing these good practices can help healthcare professionals and patients mitigate the impact of gaslighting in the healthcare sector, promote trust and collaboration, and ultimately improve patient outcomes and satisfaction for all stakeholders.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

To inform my new readers, I wrote numerous articles that might inform and inspire you. Some of my topics include brain, mental health, cognitive function, significant health conditions, longevity, nutrition/food, valuable nutrients, ketogenic lifestyle, self-healing, weight management, writing/reading, including 100+ Insightful Life Lessons from My Circles for the Last 50+ Years.

I publish my health and wellness stories on EUPHORIA. My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.

If you are a writer, you are welcome to join my publications by sending a request via this link. I support 28K writers who contribute to my publications on this platform. I have a substack newsletter for customized content and also have another profile to write and curate tech stories.

Importance and Value of Medium Friendship for Writers and Readers