#medtrauma

[annieelainey]

I love when doctors are good enough listeners that when I express my frustrations about injustices in the medical field; mostly regarding how doctors mistreat their patients, their response is to agree. This usually comes from doctors who have children with chronic illnesses, who have chronic illnesses themselves, or best of all have earned the trust of their patients who relay their stories to them. They know about conversations like #DoctorsAreDickheads and do not derail the dialogue with wounded egos or semantics; they agree that there is a power imbalance that gets abused and that systemic injustices that keep patients from accessing quality healthcare. Good doctors who treat their patients, particularly those with chronic illnesses, like people, and not disposable numbers are harder to find. If you are a self-proclaimed "good" doctor, make sure you're listening to your patients, listen to the dialogue that is happening regarding medical abuse and #MedTrauma, be willing to say "I don't know", "Allow me to look that up", and check in with where your patients are at on their journey with their health, not just the stats but how they're feeling, what they're up to, what they've learned, and what questions can you seek answers for together; to work as partners together for the best possible outcome. . . . . [Annie sits in an examination room wearing a heart monitor, peering through a pink button up shirt and blue overalls] https://www.instagram.com/annieelainey/p/Bwp3DnSASVC/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=11qyuobkcxvfm

[thewillowswork]

MAINSTREAM CARE SYSTEMS PERPETUATE TRAUMA. Recently, I've been tackling some of my trauma responses with exposure and response therapy.  One of my triggers is fear of anger: when I think someone is irritated with me, I become absolutely terrified.  So I've been sitting with that feeling, telling it, "Yes, I know I'm scared right now.  At one point, I needed to be hyperaware of anger.  I am worried now because that helped me in that past."  Pause.  "I am safe now.  I do not need to be afraid.  It is okay that I am afraid now, and I am going to be kind to myself as I learn that I no longer need this fear."  This is a method that I've used extensively with my #OCD and obviously with my trauma work.   But it doesn't quite make sense for dealing with #MedTrauma and the processes required to deal with accommodations.  In my experiences, I can use exposure and response therapy to unlearn reactions I have to safe situations.  I cannot tell myself that the next doctors appointment will not result in someone denying my experiences.  I cannot tell myself that the next time I request #accommodations, I will not be treated with hostility.  I cannot use exposure and response therapy to teach myself that medical interactions and accommodations are safe, because they are not.  Every exposure carries risk of retraumatization.  And even as the trauma builds on itself, we must continue to submit ourselves for retraumatization by the #MedicalIndustrialComplex in order to receive care.          In addition to validation, I take from this a lesson.  It is okay to be kind to yourself as you deal with the systems of care that sustain and traumatize us.  Be gentle where care providers are not.  Take time to acknowledge that negative care interactions take a toll on us, and recognize the important work of resilience and resistance you do to keep going.     #chronicillness #invisibleillness #contestedillness #chronicfatigue #mecfs #undiagnosed #invisibledisability #disability #disabilitystudies #crip #socialwork #resistance #feminism #sociology #biopolitics #sick #sickgirlsclub #illness #spoonie #spoonielife https://www.instagram.com/p/B2FHCSYAv_C/?igshid=313ir9wcjque

[endometriosissucks]

Medical people online often deride those with chronic illness adding their diagnoses to their profile and comparing horror stories. What they fail to see is that these sufferers of chronic illness (and I do mean sufferers) are told by abled people, especially doctors, that what they are feeling is something they should be used to by now. The effect of this is to minimise the lived experiences of those suffering chronic illness.

So when we search our illness on social media, what we see are real live people, suffering, feeling happy when in remission, advocating for the chronically ill, educating and caring. We hear their stories and hear they suffer as we do. The effect of THAT is hope, society, togetherness, shared experiences. Our lived experiences are validated in this simple process.

[endometriosissucks]

Gaslighting is a societal symptom those with endometriosis are very familiar with ☹️

[endometriosissucks]

I lost count of the number of times my doctor skimmed over the fact that I was in agonising pain. Many more still told me I was attention seeking. I had a life, career, friends, travel. Why would I need extra attention from a doctor if I wasn't in real physical distress?? 🙃 My own mother thought I was just being a whinger about my excruciating periods until I was diagnosed

[endometriosissucks]

When trust is shattered, its hard to rebuild. There are roles in society of implicit trust. When you go to your doctor you expect help and respect. Sadly many doctors don't know how to treat chronic illness and are dismissive of their patients who depend on them

[endometriosissucks]

The whole experience has returned me to where I was weeks ago. My muscles in my arms have turned to wood. My nerves are lightning in my hands arms shoulders and neck. I have knots upon knots in my back shoulders and arms. I am effectively crippled. I've only had a couple of hours broken sleep where I was woken by medtrauma and gaslighting nightmares. Can I get an AAAAARRRGGHHHHH 😤😤😤 #abledpeopleareexhausting and 🤬 dangerous. Oh and she told me it might not be the prolapse causing the problem, the scan just happened to find one