206. When You Don't Want To Be "That Patient"

Have you been ill and thought "I can tough this out" or "I don't want to bother anyone?" When you seek care, do you apologize for the inconvenience and/or feel the need to justify why?  In this episode, we normalize that it is hard for physicians to seek timely medical attention. We name some of the potential causes and share ideas about how you might take sooner action when it comes to addressing your own healthcare needs.  The deep indoctrination of putting others' needs above our own is hard to change. In medical training we were not taught to advocate for our own health. Our training taught us that having a medical issue of your own was inconvenient and a weakness. We also know first-hand how hard it is to work in medicine these days. We often struggle to ask for care, even when reasonable and needed, because we don't want to bother our colleagues. Sometimes we are even "guilty" about using up healthcare resources. We also don't want to be a patient in a system we know is broken. It makes us feel vulnerable. We know too much. Most of us especially don't want to be perceived as "that patient." The unreasonable, demanding one. We hope after listening you will have an easier time seeking care for yourself.  We hope you will have some tools to give yourself permission to prioritize your needs. We hope you will have more awareness about what your barriers are and when you next set up an appointment for a loved one, you include yourself in the circle of care and set up care for yourself also. What if you could start caring for yourself AS WELL as you care for everyone else.  Coaching and mindfulness can help you bring kindness and compassion to habitual thought patterns that don't serve your highest self. We hope you will consider moving beyond consuming this podcast and choose to work with us in person at the Mindful Healers Connect in Nature Retreat, Sept 6-8th, 2024. There are only a few spots left. If the timing doesn't work, join a different retreat or coach with Jessie. She offers 1:1, small groups, and retreats. www.jessiemahoneymd.com You can also hire one or both of us to speak or lead a workshop on any topic covered in the Mindful Healers Podcast. We also create team retreats, teach yoga, and offer experiential mindfulness for teams, groups, grand rounds, institutions, and conferences. www.jessiemahoneymd.com/mindful-healers-podcast www.awakenbreath.org  www.jessiemahoneymd.com/speaking *Nothing shared in the Mindful Healers Podcast is medical advice.  #physicianwellness #mindfulnesscoach #pauseandpresence #physiciancoach