Uses medication responsibly. He (generically speaking) reads the little pamphlets inside the medicine box, look out for possible side-effects, and is able to report progress or problems to his medical practitioner (not only the colour or shape and size of medication).
These little pamphlets, by the way, regularly cause [support] a lot of trees to die in amongst others the Rain Forest. They are definitely not placed there to use as toilet paper (nor is the texture applicable, if you get my drift).
The good patient knows what medication he is taking, the dosage, when to take it, the reasons behind the medication, and is able to adjust and especially, monitor effects with assistance of the professional in charge.
The good patient also adheres to suggested regimes: do take bed rest when prescribed (mostly to protect the heart muscles from over exerting themselves during recuperation, so definitely not a question of feeling sorry for you) and please don’t run around infecting others while you’re still sick and infectious (reason why you may build up a resistance to medication, reason for so many different strains, etc, the germs continuously strain and multiply quicker than pharmaceutical companies can keep up with developing new products. There are reasons, you know).
Taking off 3 days from work is preferable to 2 weeks as well as infecting your whole department (the more global picture).
For example - The good patient completes his antibiotic course. Take a look what TB is doing in Africa...
The good patient understands when a psychologist prescribes “home work” (unless of course, he wants to undergo therapy for the rest of his life. Granted, sometimes life-long therapy is required. But it would surely shorten therapy – and financial expenses – if a patient is actively participating in his own therapy. In most cases then, only the occasional “mechanical tweak” is required. )
The good patient is, also, able to open his mouth and disagree with the professional when he is not happy with treatment, and is able to report back and ask questions. In particular, he is able to request alternatives when something does not work. He is able to work together with the professional, to his own benefit.
Medical health professionals are not Gods. They can only work with what the patient shares. Or not share.
The good patient therefore, does not lie to his practitioner. He shares.
Even more, the good patient definitely does not –
Lick his knife and fork and then secretly places it back in the cutlery drawer.
He does not deliberately sneeze and then handshake.
He does not throw away or forget or neglect his homework and continue to blame lack of progress on medical professionals (or his childhood, economy, politics...).
He does not run around bad-mouthing professionals (and constantly seek alternative input from different professionals*) if he is not able to actively participate in his own life.
I have to admit – I myself, am not a good patient. I listen to the professionals, ask as many questions as possible (I tell them everything, possibly sometimes to the point of my practitioner wanting to run away).
I read the pamphlets, do as they say, but occasionally when I get frustrated which unfortunately happens all the time when I am sick, I tend to down a handful of sinucons instead of 2x 3 daily. At times, a whole bottle of cough syrup as well (hopefully it works quicker, then...)
I find cupboards and tiles and closets to clean around midnight when I should be involved in bed-rest (And, I write impulsive blogs...and revel in neglecting other duties...) simply because I do not know how to stay in bed for so long (funnily enough, when being lazy I can stay in bed the whole day long...)
But being sick is different. It is enforced onto me!! By night time normally then, I am not sure if the symptoms worsened or I am simply trigger happy on medication and syrup and everything else I should or should not have done.
I am not a happy chappy when sick, as you could probably gather by now.... When my nose and ears and brain become clouded and clogged, I want to lash out at someone. I simply cannot cope with the feeling of a brain in limbo. My brain is the one thing I can’t do without. I want to kick-start it from where-ever it is hiding (And no, I have not found the secret yet). I want to continue with my life and get this crappy feelings over and done with.
Then I take it out on the people around me, but worse, on myself as well.
The result?
I stay sick longer. I feel miserable, for longer. I am not able to participate in the things other, normal people do. Or to enjoy myself. And of course, I infect other people. Medically, and sometimes psychologically.
Simply because, when I am being a bad patient, I become self-damaging...
I don’t think we really realise, how many people’s lives we play with when we simply get involved with, even unknowingly, to sabotage ourselves. By being bad patients. And while I am mostly using medical examples, please apply them to the psychological as well.
Question is therefore: are you a good (participating) or bad (self-damaging) patient?
For some, not an easy answer to come by.
-----
*Second opinions are always welcome and sometimes/often, even preferred. I am referring here to people not being able yet to accept or apply own responsibility and who visit so many professionals that even the professionals get confused in the progress!
These little pamphlets, by the way, regularly cause [support] a lot of trees to die in amongst others the Rain Forest. They are definitely not placed there to use as toilet paper (nor is the texture applicable, if you get my drift).
The good patient knows what medication he is taking, the dosage, when to take it, the reasons behind the medication, and is able to adjust and especially, monitor effects with assistance of the professional in charge.
The good patient also adheres to suggested regimes: do take bed rest when prescribed (mostly to protect the heart muscles from over exerting themselves during recuperation, so definitely not a question of feeling sorry for you) and please don’t run around infecting others while you’re still sick and infectious (reason why you may build up a resistance to medication, reason for so many different strains, etc, the germs continuously strain and multiply quicker than pharmaceutical companies can keep up with developing new products. There are reasons, you know).
Taking off 3 days from work is preferable to 2 weeks as well as infecting your whole department (the more global picture).
For example - The good patient completes his antibiotic course. Take a look what TB is doing in Africa...
The good patient understands when a psychologist prescribes “home work” (unless of course, he wants to undergo therapy for the rest of his life. Granted, sometimes life-long therapy is required. But it would surely shorten therapy – and financial expenses – if a patient is actively participating in his own therapy. In most cases then, only the occasional “mechanical tweak” is required. )
The good patient is, also, able to open his mouth and disagree with the professional when he is not happy with treatment, and is able to report back and ask questions. In particular, he is able to request alternatives when something does not work. He is able to work together with the professional, to his own benefit.
Medical health professionals are not Gods. They can only work with what the patient shares. Or not share.
The good patient therefore, does not lie to his practitioner. He shares.
Even more, the good patient definitely does not –
Lick his knife and fork and then secretly places it back in the cutlery drawer.
He does not deliberately sneeze and then handshake.
He does not throw away or forget or neglect his homework and continue to blame lack of progress on medical professionals (or his childhood, economy, politics...).
He does not run around bad-mouthing professionals (and constantly seek alternative input from different professionals*) if he is not able to actively participate in his own life.
I have to admit – I myself, am not a good patient. I listen to the professionals, ask as many questions as possible (I tell them everything, possibly sometimes to the point of my practitioner wanting to run away).
I read the pamphlets, do as they say, but occasionally when I get frustrated which unfortunately happens all the time when I am sick, I tend to down a handful of sinucons instead of 2x 3 daily. At times, a whole bottle of cough syrup as well (hopefully it works quicker, then...)
I find cupboards and tiles and closets to clean around midnight when I should be involved in bed-rest (And, I write impulsive blogs...and revel in neglecting other duties...) simply because I do not know how to stay in bed for so long (funnily enough, when being lazy I can stay in bed the whole day long...)
But being sick is different. It is enforced onto me!! By night time normally then, I am not sure if the symptoms worsened or I am simply trigger happy on medication and syrup and everything else I should or should not have done.
I am not a happy chappy when sick, as you could probably gather by now.... When my nose and ears and brain become clouded and clogged, I want to lash out at someone. I simply cannot cope with the feeling of a brain in limbo. My brain is the one thing I can’t do without. I want to kick-start it from where-ever it is hiding (And no, I have not found the secret yet). I want to continue with my life and get this crappy feelings over and done with.
Then I take it out on the people around me, but worse, on myself as well.
The result?
I stay sick longer. I feel miserable, for longer. I am not able to participate in the things other, normal people do. Or to enjoy myself. And of course, I infect other people. Medically, and sometimes psychologically.
Simply because, when I am being a bad patient, I become self-damaging...
I don’t think we really realise, how many people’s lives we play with when we simply get involved with, even unknowingly, to sabotage ourselves. By being bad patients. And while I am mostly using medical examples, please apply them to the psychological as well.
Question is therefore: are you a good (participating) or bad (self-damaging) patient?
For some, not an easy answer to come by.
-----
*Second opinions are always welcome and sometimes/often, even preferred. I am referring here to people not being able yet to accept or apply own responsibility and who visit so many professionals that even the professionals get confused in the progress!
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