Discussion » Questions » Health and Wellness » Can anyone tell me why a person would not see a doctor if they have very clear ongoing health problems?
Art Lover

Can anyone tell me why a person would not see a doctor if they have very clear ongoing health problems?

This person has very clear symptoms of serious conditions and is in pain nearly every day, yet refuses to see the doctor.  There is more than one issue, that if it were me, I'd be in emergency as fast as I could get there.  I just don't understand how someone can care so little about themselves.  I met several when I was having chemo and radiation as well.  They just ignored symptoms, spots, lumps and now were in stage 3 and 4 of cancer.  One person, by the time she "finally" went to the doctor it was too late, she had 6 months...period, no treatment.  I don't understand the psychology of this, whaever it is.  Is it self-hatred or what?

Posted - June 24, 2019
Tag : Can anyone tell me why a person would not see a doctor if they have very clear ongoing health problems?

Responses


  • 10052
    1) Fear

    2) Inability to pay for care
      June 24, 2019 9:37 AM MDT
    7

  • 8214
    She says she has insurance.  If you are an illegal you can get medical care no question about it. She should be eligible for something.  So it must be fear.  Hummmm  Thank You
      June 24, 2019 9:46 AM MDT
    4

  • 46117
    WHAT ILLLEGAL has insurance?

    ARE YOU …. nevermind.  
      June 24, 2019 12:30 PM MDT
    1

  • 8214
    They don't have insurance.  They are treated for free at various cilincs. Yes, I saw this with my own two eyes more than once. 


    I was born in the USA many years ago. 


     This post was edited by Art Lover at June 1, 2020 7:27 AM MDT
      June 24, 2019 2:48 PM MDT
    1

  • 10026
    Absolutely!
    In the United States, no health insurance.  Don and I both need to go to the doctor.  Him for his back and me for my shoulder and the burn on my foot.
    We simply cannot afford to get any health insurance because Don makes too much to get some but not enough to allow us to live a life a person would like to live.
    I am not talking about movie stars and big cars. I am talking about daily needs, like plumbing.
    Health insurance is too expensive. We choose to suffer and use heating pads than try to get on a plan that will cost us over 1500 dollars a month. This post was edited by Merlin at August 9, 2019 1:36 PM MDT
      June 24, 2019 9:49 AM MDT
    4

  • 4624
    Sorry to hear about your shoulder pain and the burn.
      June 24, 2019 1:48 PM MDT
    2

  • 10026
    Thank you bookworm. I appreciate your caring.  I'm not sure if it is good or bad but I have a high tollerance to pain.  I learned to bite the bullet many years ago.
    It really is a terrible way to live. I know my body is telling me it needs attention.  My body is trying to live the life it was structured to live but I am not allowing that life.  We really cannot afford it at this time.
    My body says, "Thanks again!"
    Big happy hugs and smiles!
      June 25, 2019 10:27 AM MDT
    0

  • 53509
      June 1, 2020 7:27 AM MDT
    1

  • 46117
    They don't want to deal with the truth.  SIMPLE.  
      June 24, 2019 10:15 AM MDT
    2

  • 4624
    The usual reason is cost.

    Another common one is absence of faith in the medical system.
    In the area where I live, where about 15% of the population is baby boomer hippie alternative, this attitude is very common.

    But it's not just alternative types who feel this way.
    Many nurses in the conventional hospital system feel exactly the same.
    I have a friend who is dying now. She was a nurse for 45 years. She saw so many horrors - due to false diagnoses, multi-resistant staphylococcus aurei, gram-negative infections and other hospital-caused permanent damage and deaths - that she could not bear to go to a doctor.




    This post was edited by inky at June 1, 2020 7:29 AM MDT
      June 24, 2019 1:28 PM MDT
    2

  • 8214
    It is unfortunate, I've had my own surgical failures, one was monumental. Additionaly a couple of incorrect diagnosis, however I try to stay on top of new issues that can't be ignored.  I'm still here and many of my older friends have already passed.  I have my yearly check-ups which caught cancer a couple of years ago.  Found it early, was treated and now it's gone.  Much better than waiting and hoping and not knowing.  
      June 24, 2019 2:58 PM MDT
    3

  • 4624
    Somehow some people expect doctors to get it perfect, expect the science to be perfect,
    and doctors help that expectation along.
    They know that 30% of all healing is due to the placebo effect so it behoves them to inspire confidence.

    In reality, the system is more like mechanics - explore the simplest, most likely diagnoses first and, if that fails, keep going to the next most likely, and the next, till one finds what it actually wrong.
    The apply the same principle to the treatment, applying triage depending on the client's priority, the cheapest or the most effective.
    Either way, as with mechanics, tools get dropped, or someone passes an anti-rust spray when it was supposed to be a lube.

    Problem is, it matters so much more when its not just a car.
      June 25, 2019 11:20 AM MDT
    1

  • 10026
    I not only agree with this statement but am living it.
    My dad has parkinson's disease.  I believe it was brought on by the medication he was receiving for proving HIV positive.
    Since he was in high school, he has given blood to the red cross.
    He has some sort of rare blood type and has faithfully (and happily, I might add) given it willingly.  He has given Gallons and Gallons of it over the years.
    One day, he went to the Red Cross to give his donation and blood.  Then about three days later got a letter from them saying they could not use his blood because he was HIV positive.  This was way back in the early 90s.
    He had no idea nor did we. He went on an quest to find out how he was infected. I can guarantee, without any raising of eyebrows his infection was not from infidelity.  It was from giving blood. Red Cross tracked it down. He had given blood in a location in Denver that had an infestation of HIV.
    Since that time, he has lived with HIV, Parkinsons, and other terrible side effects.
    With these side effects, he refused to use things like hemp, cbd, or any other study of medice other than western.
    I wish so much to help him but he won't budge on the issue.
    I wish so desperately he would try easter medicine or herbal medicine.  Anything to relieve him of his pain and difficulties.
    Another sad part of this story is my mom was an ICU nurse for 45 years.  She also highly believes in western medicine.  I do too.  We were raised with it and it has helped me in many times in my time of need.
    I am, however, VERY Interested and Have Learned Many other ways to heal the body.
    My mom is open to ALL these, too.
    My dad is going for brain surgery in September.  I applaud and will support him in this decision as will my sister and my mom.  We all love him and know this will help the rest of his years.
    :) :)
    I still wonder, though, was there another way that may have helped heal his body from a good deed gone bad?
     
      June 25, 2019 10:44 AM MDT
    2

  • 4624
    I feel such sadness reading your situation, Merlin.
    I've cared for people with Parkinson's and know its stages intimately.
    It the AIDS causes cancer, then the western medical doctors might prescribe cannabis oil if its legal in your state.
    It helps alleviate pain when many other pain killers fail.
    And it restores hunger after the effects of chemotherapy.

    Like you, I support the patient's right to make their own decisions.
    It's one of the toughest parts of love when we have to let them make choices we might not agree with,
    and then as carers must live with the effects.

    If ever you need to just chat, please feel free to message me.
      June 25, 2019 11:28 AM MDT
    1

  • 7939
    There are lots of reasons why people don't seek medical care.

    As others have pointed out, cost is a big one. I personally don't have insurance. I'm self employed and can't afford an individual policy. I think last I checked, it was about $500 per month for a catastrophic plan- one that only kicks in when I have mega hospital bills. It's just not realistic for me. I've spent an insane amount of time looking for ways to get affordable insurance or affordable care- doctors with their own plans, cost sharing networks, etc. None of it is feasible. So, I do sympathize with others dealing with the same. The person you reference may have insurance, but it could be that it's not a good plan and has large out-of-pocket expenses. 

    Fear is another. Maybe the person has anxiety over some aspect of treatment. 

    Depression is another. People with depression simply don't engage in self-care. It's a symptom of the disorder. 

    Tradition/ Ignorance is another. I grew up in a family that took a "throw some dirt on it" approach to healthcare. We just didn't see doctors. I don't know how to express it any differently. Someone would have to be bleeding out and missing several limbs to warrant a trip to the doctor and, even then, we didn't dare complain about a symptom. In that sense, the children in my family grew up learning to ignore symptoms or to not listen to our bodies. If healthcare is not part of the culture you grew up in, it really just does not occur to you to seek help or even to monitor for odd symptoms. 

    It's also possible you're misreading the symptoms. As an outsider, it's easy to sum up someone's symptoms and decide they need treatment, but it's also possible this person knows exactly what's wrong with them and knows what the treatment will be, if any is available. It's possible they're making an educated decision. 

    There really are so many reasons why people don't seek treatment. Even normal healthy people have biases. Studies have been done to see if people understand the risks of certain things, texting while driving, developing a health condition, driving impaired, and so forth. Generally speaking, people understand the prevalence/ risk, but even when they know the overall risk, they assume their personal risk is much lower. It's the whole "not me" phenomenon. Humans are just inherently bad at assessing their own risk. I would venture to guess if we took a poll here and asked everyone if people are safe drivers when they text, virtually everyone would say people are dangerous when they text and drive. We could poll the same group and ask them if they text while driving and if they can do it safely, they'd probably all say they do it and that they do it safely. 
      June 24, 2019 1:33 PM MDT
    4

  • 8214
    Thank you. A couple of your fresh ideas has given me greater insight.  
      June 24, 2019 2:53 PM MDT
    3

  • 10026
    :) :) :):)!!  I'm with you!!
      June 25, 2019 10:53 AM MDT
    1

  • 10026
    I'm with MorningStar.  Thank you. :) :)
      June 25, 2019 10:52 AM MDT
    1

  • 4624
    Always the clear thinker - that's one of the things I most admire about you, JA.
      June 25, 2019 11:30 AM MDT
    1

  • 17596
    Adults are free to make that kind of decision.  Free.  Freedom.  We have it.
      June 24, 2019 10:46 PM MDT
    1

  • 7792
    I'll keep this short and sweet. FEAR!!!
      June 25, 2019 10:28 AM MDT
    2

  • 46117
    Totally.  
      June 25, 2019 10:41 AM MDT
    2

  • 2327
    Maybe it's a; "I'll cope with it as long as I can until I can't take it anymore" attitude. Or; "Maybe it will go away on it's own if I give it time to fix itself". 

    So many maybe's. 
      June 25, 2019 8:59 PM MDT
    1

  • 6098
    Maybe they don't care for doctors.  With doctors its all drugs and operations which just don't appeal to me at this time in life.  Chemotherapy and radiation?  Guess I don't find the prospect of those very appealing at all either.  If we don't take care of ourselves to the point where we die well isn't that just natural for us? 
      July 3, 2019 5:20 AM MDT
    0