Discussion Do you trust doctors? Poll

[Forever Sleep]

I can't say I do. I'd like to hope the majority are at least well intentioned but, especially in the UK, resources are so stretched that I think often, they simply don't have the capacity to do a thorough job.

I certainly don't trust them when it comes to prescribing medication and especially medication for mental illness. I get the distinct impression they don't fully understand how they work, how medications interact, the side effects, the withdrawal symptoms. I only see a doctor if I can't cope with the pain of whatever I'm suffering with.

I think also, the fact that a GP's misdiagnosis of my Mum likely lead to her death doesn't give me much confidence in them either. Plus, a possible botched hysterectomy lead my Grandma developing extremely painful diverticulitus. That said, I know the medical industry can also work miracles.

I also realise that people in it must work incredibly hard and I do really admire them, if not fully trust them. How do you feel?

 

[Eriktf]

i dont trust big pharma at all but doctors i kinda trust unless they just want to put you on meds

 

[fallendevil]

Honestly as a half black woman, there is always this unspoken rule of me needing to advocate for myself with the doctor because I know I'm just going to be gaslighted or told I'm being hysterical. My Asian mother works in healthcare and although I love her the way she talks about her black female patients and coworkers as being "ghetto" and "difficult" makes me afraid of how others will treat me, doesn't help that I'm ND as well. A lot of nurses, doctors, and surgeons are evil—people who we trust to care for us in such a vulnerable state tend to turn cold and cruel which is the sad reality but it is what it is.

At the same time, I think a lot of people in my situation go too far into pseudoscience alt right crunchy pipelines and radically reject science which is dangerous, even worse they're always natalists who don't vaccinate their kids. I saw a couple on Facebook who starved their newborn to death and refused to get them medical care and they had the GALL to drop their jaws when the judge sentenced them, It's evil.

 

[Dayrain]

doesn't give me much confidence in them either

I do really admire them, if not fully trust them

I understand that you sometimes trust them and sometimes not, correct?

As for me, I think that "trust" is the wrong category. Sometimes it's obvious that someone is doing the job entirely for the money or at least for profit for their institution and use this as an excuse for an insufficient treatment. Those are part of the "medical mafia" for me and I will avoid them, because I just don't want them to treat me, but I still could have trust in some treatments, but in others again not. Then there are ones who clearly don't do it for the money, but maybe are not so specialized. So I can trust them, but they could have no treatment for me.

No offense, polls are always nice and there are multiple options for answers in the poll, but I think this is not really a good poll question, because who does entirely mistrust or trust doctors? Or in other words, I would not see doctors as a "cluster". This profession is so complex and every doctor is different, but there are patterns.

But trust is irrelevant when you are ill and don't have the time or resources to choose one who you trust. If one does have, of course one tends just to go to those who one does trust most.

There is a saying: "Who heals is right"

I think this is a very good saying indeed and sums it all up.

The doctor-patient relationship is an awkward one by nature and nobody really wants to have them, regardless of if you trust or not.

 

[sweetreliefpls]

I have environmental and chronic illnesses which are dismissed by most doctors. It's why I became so ill to begin with because they denied what was happening. Now I try to seek treatment and they gaslight me again…so no I don't. Functional medicine doctors seem to understand more, but then they are expensive and also dismissed by the mainstream doctors! The system is broken.

 

[Pluto]

 

[Praestat_Mori]

Doctors are humans, and humans are subject to fail.

I think it's much more complex than just saying I trust my GP or not bc it largely depends on the severity and complexity of the health issue we're suffering from. Any GP should be able to adjust blood pressure symptoms in old age and to prescribe the right medicine when we have a flu or a severe cold. But there are other, much more complex health issues a GP cannot handle bc he does not the right education. Ultimately, when it comes to mental health it's probably the most complex field a physician can work in. Mental health problems often can't be cured by only prescribing meds.

I never had sever health problems throughout my life - that's why I cannot answer this question whether I trust doctors or not. The more complex a health issue is, the more independent opinions from doctors we need to make a decision whether or not we wanna go through a certain treatment.

 

[Forever Sleep]

I understand that you sometimes trust them and sometimes not, correct?

As for me, I think that "trust" is the wrong category. Sometimes it's obvious that someone is doing the job entirely for the money. Then I will avoid them, because I just don't want them to treat me, but I still could have trust in some treatments, but in others again not. Then there are ones who clearly don't do it for the money, but maybe are not so specialized. So I can trust them, but they could have no treatment for me.

No offense, polls are always nice and there are multiple options for more answers in the poll, but I think this is not really a good poll question, because who does entirely mistrust or trust doctors? Or in other words, I would not see doctors as a "cluster". This profession is so complex and every doctor is different, but there are patterns.

But trust is irrelevant when you are ill and don't have the time or resources to choose one who you trust. If one does have, of course one tends just to go to those who one does trust most.

There is a saying: "Who heals is right"

I think this is a very good saying indeed and sums it all up.

The doctor-patient relationship is an awkward one by nature and nobody really wants to have them, regardless of if you trust or not.

I suppose from my perspective, it's a mix of things.

I think the human body and especially the human brain is extremely complex. So, I don't hugely trust the whole- 'Let's f*ck about with it with drugs and, see what happens!' Obviously, in the long-term, we have to experiment to find answers but I'm not sure people are made aware of the risks when they get prescribed psyche meds for instance. Asides from the tiny enclosed leaflets with impossibly small print and every side effect known to man printed on it.

I took Metoclopramide at one point, having no awareness of the risk of tardive dyskinsia. I think I would have just put up with feeling sick if I'd known that. Luckily, I didn't develop it. Perhaps it's rare to get it but I still would have appreciated being made properly aware.

I also think that money/ funding plays a big part. Are they pushed to push some medications? Again, without really knowing the side effects? Can they even undertake detailed diagnosis procedures or prescribe some treatments, if there isn't the funding?

So, it's not so much a distrust of their integrity. It's a doubt of medicine's limited knowledge in some areas generally. Plus, the financial factors that influence everything.

I do take your point that it's a nuanced subject. I wonder if the overall feeling is that nuanced though. We can probably judge how cofident we feel in something or someone. Whether that's justifiably accurate or not.

 

[bankai]

I don't. They are the proven third leading cause of death in the US. Negligence and human errors from doctors. I have a few in my family and I can tell you that I have heard a lot of stories of real world complications that patients have had from doctor related errors,

That being said, they can save lives as well. So my guess is you really need to talk to your doctor beforehand and see how they treat you. How they talk to you. Whether they listen to you or are they dismissive.see if you can check about their background and patient history. Things like that. This will at least help a bit. But to be honest, it's not just the doctors, it can be anyone, the anesthetists, nurses. So even if your doctor is good, someone else from the staff can make a mistake.

 

[Dayrain]

Are they pushed to push some medications?

Either this or they have contracts with companies.

It's a doubt of medicine's limited knowledge in some areas generally.

It's bad that school medicine doctors and alternative medicine doctors don't cooperate more. And it's not good that doctors don't keep up to date with research and studies.

I wonder if the overall feeling is that nuanced though.

I edited my post after you started replying to it already I think. My observation is definitely that there are mafia-like structures. So you are right there.

Can they even undertake detailed diagnosis procedures or prescribe some treatments, if there isn't the funding?

One should ask this directly at the appointment.

 

[Pale_Rider]

Dr's may mean well, but they follow corporate directives. Those directives don't necessarily benefit the patient.

 

[feakfjnkje]

I dislike the medical system in the US as opposed to just doctors. Was supposed to meet a doctor but had a physician assistant help me instead. They called the PA by "Dr." so I didn't know until I checked after. The treatment I received was disgusting and left me in the state I am today.

 

[Forveleth]

I put unsure because there are some doctors I have had that I deeply, deeply trust and then there are some doctors that I have had that I regret ever going to. I am not going to generalize the medical field based on a few bad apples or bad experiences . For example, my previous GP was amazing, and then he moved far away from me, and now my current one is an absolute ass.

 

[Dejected 55]

Depends on what kinds of doctors you are talking about... psychological vs physical?

Meanwhile... When I was a kid, I had a pediatrician who really always wanted to be the smartest man in the room. He would try to talk down to you and use big words. I could tell he did not like dealing with me as a kid because I was intelligent and knowledgeable about a variety of things and when he would try to snow me in diagnosis, I would always know what he was talking about and it was clear that it bothered him. Knowing that about his personality, his fragile ego, it made me doubt other things about his qualifications. He also missed some things about my mother (he was a family doctor) and he knew he had missed them and he wasn't bothered by her diminishing health as a result, but rather that he had been wrong and it bothered him to be wrong... screw the patient, he just wanted to be right. That kind of doctor is dangerous.

 

[HD72]

I don't. They are the proven third leading cause of death in the US. Negligence and human errors from doctors. I have a few in my family and I can tell you that I have heard a lot of stories of real world complications that patients have had from doctor related errors,

That being said, they can save lives as well. So my guess is you really need to talk to your doctor beforehand and see how they treat you. How they talk to you. Whether they listen to you or are they dismissive.see if you can check about their background and patient history. Things like that. This will at least help a bit. But to be honest, it's not just the doctors, it can be anyone, the anesthetists, nurses. So even if your doctor is good, someone else from the staff can make a mistake.

I don't know if u live in the US but if u have Medicare or live in a rural area u often don't get to pick your doctor and u get about 10 minutes with them before they tell u how u feel and send u on your way. They are terrible people. The ones where I live and especially the nurses are horrible abusive people.

i dont trust big pharma at all but doctors i kinda trust unless they just want to put you on meds

Well u shouldn't trust them since big pharma pays them to prescribe their meds and insurance gives them incentives to do certain procedures and to take away or give certain meds.

Doctors are humans, and humans are subject to fail.

I think it's much more complex than just saying I trust my GP or not bc it largely depends on the severity and complexity of the health issue we're suffering from. Any GP should be able to adjust blood pressure symptoms in old age and to prescribe the right medicine when we have a flu or a severe cold. But there are other, much more complex health issues a GP cannot handle bc he does not the right education. Ultimately, when it comes to mental health it's probably the most complex field a physician can work in. Mental health problems often can't be cured by only prescribing meds.

I never had sever health problems throughout my life - that's why I cannot answer this question whether I trust doctors or not. The more complex a health issue is, the more independent opinions from doctors we need to make a decision whether or not we wanna go through a certain treatment.

Try growing up with a dr. Let me tell u off duty they drink like fish talk about patients like they are trash and treat their families like second class citizens cuz they know they'll always get help. In my 52 years I've only had 2 drs treat me with kindness and help me.

 

[Hellis]

Depends on the doctor and the type of trust.

Don't trust psychologists at all, it ain't their fault though. After studying psychology myself, especially in regards to mental disorders and illness, it all feels like a weird optimism pyramid scheme. I can't believe the professionals are reading the same stuff I did, do they even view mental health the same as me? It's such a subjective field.

I trust doctors who assist with physical ailments and injuries, more than myself at least. If I were one of those people who had a life threatening tumor that got misdiagnosed, I'd probably just let it kill me without ever realizing I was dying.

I do not trust doctors with my emotions, though. They will hurt me, they always fucking do.

 

[Unsure and Useless]

Considering I want to become a doctor (if I ever live long enough to realize that dream), I have to admit that I'm a bit biased towards their favor, but aside from that, I do want to trust doctors because, from my perspective, it seems like a waste of time and resources to go through medical school only to not properly treat patients. Plus, I want to believe that doctors do care about their patients to some capacity, so I tend to trust them

However, there are several factors that make it extremely difficult for me to completely trust them. The state of the medical industry, wherein profits are prioritized over people's health, has forced doctors to make difficult decisions that have irreparably harmed those in their care. There are also so many horror stories about how patients of certain communities—such as POC individuals, LGBTQ+ people, and women—are mistreated by those in the healthcare industry, and since I am a part of them, it's worrying that I'll become just another statistic

And that's just referring to doctors of physical health!

I trust doctors and healthcare providers in the mental health sphere even less. It's hard to believe that someone in that field could ever understand how I feel about subjects like CTB, and the very fact that they'll just get the government, which has repeatedly shown that couldn't give less of a shit about people like us, involved in a situation if I so much as breathe about it makes me feel like I can't be as open as I'd like with them. I get that it's for safety purposes, but from my perspective, I can't talk about what really plagues me since CTB ideation has been a big part of my life ever since I was a child

 

[polm]

Both my kids were saved by skilled obstetricians. I'm forever grateful.
I'm med injured and there's no treatment it's the system that is corrupt putting profit over patient safety.

 

[Electra]

I usually decide that after I talk to a doctor. If they're explaining me everything, not hiding any information, making sure I understand my treatment - I trust them more. But I've met doctors that just prescribed me pills and told me to come again after 3 months without any additional information - needless to say I didn't take the meds nor did I visit them again. So it depends on the doctor.

 

[Gl1tch3d G1rl]

I picked not really bc it depends on the type of doctor, first impression, backstory etc. I would say I distrust them more than I trust them tho.

 

[VoidButterfly]

Generally speaking I trust them, but certainly not completely and I have many of my own stories of their incompetence. I think the average dr handling the average case will on average get it right. I think expecting more than that is probably where you run into shaky ground.

 

[WrathfulGloom32]

Psychologists/Therapists, it's not that I trust, I just know everything there is to know about me already, no empty platitude or coping mechanism will save me.
Psychiatrists, yes? Well the perfect psychiatrist would in theory know what would work and what wouldn't if any at all. A bad one will make everything worse.

I trust the concept and the "math" I just don't trust people to be able to apply it.

 

[cemeteryismyhome]

No. I don't trust anyone.

 

[Anonymousa]

If its about physical stuff then sure I trust them in what they doing and giving but for mental stuff I am much more hesitant in that probably won't give me what I actually need even if I am persistent about how I feel and what I suffer with and with what they will do or give me won't have any effect on me.

 

[bravelytothewinter]

depends on the type of Doctor, lots of psychologists and OB/GYNs are uhh..... not the best at their jobs? I'd argue though a lot of them are pretty decent though and most ER docs are gonna be pretty solid for example.

 

[Rynalia]

I don't trust doctors because they are people. I don't trust people, including myself.

So yeah, surprise me doc. Let's see how good your and my fortunes are.

 

[otium]

I dont trust them enough to tell them everything about me, so maybe as much as you would trust a stranger. Maybe a little bit more.

 

[Mr. Snrub]

Regular doctors yeah, if I've seen them a few times and they seem comptetent at their profession.

I have zero faith in psychologists. I'm sure there's some excellent ones but the fact that the onus is on mentally ill people to wade through the snake oil salesmen to find them is just another one of life's sick jokes.

 

[Motoko]

No, not much. I never had much luck with doctors. Doesn't matter if it was physical or psychological problem. The last fully successful visit was probably when I was 7 and went to a doctor with a flu. Anything more serious than that later on usually would end up with the condition not being treated/cured. Which sucks because a lot of stuff has piled up over the years.

 

[Scythe]

Regarding physical health, yeah, I trust that they will do their best to treat me and tell me negative vs positive and give options and what not. I understand there is a chance of mistake, but I don't feel it's malicious. The treatment for physical health are also more reliable than mental health ones.

As for mental health, oh boy, I ain't ever trusting doctors. I admit, I am paranoid that they'll brainwash me, rewriting my personality so I can be a happy little wage slave. (CBT is kinda just that though...) But mental health treatment is way more hit or miss than physical health treatment. There's too little known about mental health, we are playing med roulette with our prescribed drugs. I also just can't trust therapists to not talk about it. People breach NDAs all the time, people do things that can ruin their careers all the time. They are also paid to be nice and care, I can't trust what they say to me because there is money involved.