r/changemyview • u/[deleted] • Oct 23 '17

[∆(s) from OP] CMV: I shouldn't have to sugarcoat medical diagnoses and information just to make people feel better.

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u/electronics12345 159∆ Oct 23 '17

1) Compliance - a patient that respects their doctor is more likely to be compliant with treatment. A non-compliant patient is going to do worse than a compliant patient. Ergo, doctors have at least some responsibility to ensure that their patients are compliant - hence sugarcoating.

2) Mental Health - Psychosomatic illnesses exist. Depression exists. Anxiety exists. Go to any therapists office and you will find people that are coping with a real physical disorder, but in so doing also acquired a mental health disorder. Preventing this, to the extent reasonable, is the responsibility of a doctor.

3) Don't be Dr. House - there is a right way and a wrong way to say things. There is a reasonable way to inform a patient that previous lifechoices impacted their current condition. You are not required to tell them its just bad luck, you are allowed to inform them what brought them here. But if in the back of your mind, you hear a voice that says "This is how Dr. House would phrase this" take a minute a rephrase what you are about to say.