Just tell me what to do

The cure of many diseases remains unknown to the physicians of Hellas (Greece) because they do not study the whole person.

~ Socrates

This week I heard a doctor express that most of his patients just want to be told what to do. They don’t have the time or skillset to research or weigh the pros and cons of treatment options.

Outsourcing all healthcare to experts is neither sensible nor sustainable. We have to play a more active role in creating health and preventing illness.

We need a participatory approach.

It is a lot of responsibility to be asked to fix someone, especially when only having a glimpse of their life in the context of where they live, learn, work, and play.

Doctors care. But health promotion and disease prevention aren’t the focus of our “healthcare” system. Disease management is, and it is highly lucrative and scalable business for the pharmaceutical industry.

Stakeholders in the medical-industrial complex interfere with whole patient care.

In my experience, the active involvement of the person is necessary to guarantee effective self-management over the long term.

Experience shapes our actions

There is no illness of the body apart from the mind.

~ Socrates

Having witnessed a lot of medical errors, I have learned to do my research before consenting to any treatment.

As a wellness coach and consultant, I quickly became uncomfortable when someone asked me to just tell them what to do. Shared decision-making is more likely to lead to a successful outcome.

Health encompasses physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional well-being. It starts where we live, learn, work and play.

Healthcare is a team approach.

If I get sick, I believe I have played a role in creating the condition.

Taking responsibility for oneself, and not blaming others, regardless of circumstances, is critical to successful outcomes.

To heal themselves, I inspire others to address underlying causes in all realms of healing, not just the physical.

We live in a culture prone to seeking immediate gratification and inclined to repair or replace things as they break. We seem to have developed a trust that if we neglect to make informed decisions about our health, evolving science will save the day.

It is far less likely that one will comply with an intervention designed to create health or prevent disease without a thorough understanding of its mechanisms of action. Becoming curious and developing a sense of agency is key to success.

Witnessing non-conventionally trained healthcare practitioners be blamed and shamed when treatment fails, I have become cautious. So, I cannot just tell you what to do.