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On Health

Medical Gaslighting: What It Is, Why It’s So Dangerous, and What You Can Do to Advocate for Yourself

On Health

Aviva Romm

Health & Fitness, Arts, Alternative Health, Medicine

4.81.4K Ratings

🗓️ 11 October 2023

⏱️ 55 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In recent years, the term "medical gaslighting" has come to represent the phenomenon and disproportionate impact of medical dismissal of women and other marginalized groups. All too often, women leave the doctor’s office questioning themselves and their symptoms and are too often pressed into silently endure their suffering, sometimes until it's tragically too late. How can we identify when medical gaslighting is happening and protect ourselves or those we love? Join me on today's episode of On Health as I explore the roots of medical gaslighting, how to recognize it, the power of self-advocacy, and the critical need for systemic reform. Tune in as I get into: Where the term gaslighting actually comes from How gaslighting shows up in women's healthcare, and who is at greatest risk The dangerous and potentially life-threatening consequences of medical gaslighting The problem with the word "hysterical"—and how it was a medical diagnosis until the 1980s! How to reduce your risk of having your medical symptoms dismissed as psychological My personal experience with medical dismissal—and why nobody is immune from it 7 signs that could indicate that you’re experiencing medical gaslighting How to be an advocate for yourself and avoid being medically gaslit The urgent need for systemic change and what we need to do as a society to ensure that this happens My hope is that you walk away from this episode with greater awareness of the very real issues with gaslighting in medical care and greater confidence in speaking up for yourself and your ability to demand the respect you deserve when it comes to your healthcare. Thank you so much for taking the time to tune in to your body, yourself, and this podcast! Please share the love by sending this to someone in your life who could benefit from the kinds of things we talk about in this space. Make sure to follow your host on Instagram @dr.avivaromm and go to avivaromm.com to join the conversation. Looking for supplements for yourself and your family, including some of those I talk about in episodes? You can find those - and your 15% discount on every order here: avivaromm.com/supplements Practitioners - you can also learn how to create your own accounts at fullscript.com/practitioner-signup/AVIVA

Transcript

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0:00.0

From this stuff, your mother never told you to the stuff your doctor never learned.

0:09.2

On health is what happens when a midwife, plus a Yale trained MD, shares about all things

0:14.3

women's health.

0:15.6

From periods to menopause, sex to reproductive health politics, motherhood to mental health,

0:21.0

joined me for taboo busting conversations that demystify and destigmatize our bodies,

0:26.7

all while bridging the gap between conventional medicine and wellness.

0:30.3

Along the way, we'll be exploring the science and wisdom of how our bodies work, what makes

0:34.8

us well, what gets in the way, and how we can live our best lives on our terms.

0:40.4

When it comes to women's health and wellbeing, there's nothing we won't talk about.

0:44.2

The new medicine for women is here.

0:46.0

I'm Dr. Revivaram, welcome to the podcast.

0:56.7

For years, 28-year-old Carly had been going to doctors, telling him about her painful periods,

1:02.4

constipation, anxiety, and painful sex.

1:06.0

Each time she was told some variation on the same thing, take the pill, use a laxative

1:11.4

and eat more fiber, try an anti-anxiety medication or an SSRI, relax, and try more forplay

1:18.4

before sex.

1:20.0

She was already embarrassed enough by her symptoms.

1:22.8

She felt incredibly self-conscious that her bloating made her look and feel pregnant and

1:26.2

she didn't have the confidence to tell her partner that sex her.

1:30.1

So she endured more discomfort than she felt good about herself for doing.

1:34.6

A self-declared feminist was all very eroding for her self-concept.

1:39.1

So having to repeat her symptoms for doctors who dismissed her again and again as basically

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