O ne of the biggest problems that chronically ill patients face is “gaslighting” from their physicians/practitioners. I’ve been familiar with that term when talking about a personal relationship.
However, I had never heard it applied to a doctor/patient relationship until I heard it used during the LymeMind 2020 conference. I was struck by how appropriate the term is to describe an abusive practitioner relationship.
What is gaslighting?
Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse that causes someone to question their memory, perception, and sanity. (The expression originated from a play–then movie–called “Gaslight.” The word is now commonly used in the field of clinical psychology.)
When a physician practices gaslighting, the physician makes the patient feel like he/she is imagining their symptoms
Gaslighting in a personal relationship is usually when the abuser is a narcissist. The abuser denies, lies, minimizes, and undermines whatever it takes to plant seeds of doubt and confusion in the victim of his abuse.
When a physician practices gaslighting, the physician makes the patient feel like he/she is imagining their symptoms and then they tell the patient that he/she is depressed and needs anti-depression drugs.Join or login below to continue reading.
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