{"id":21508,"date":"2025-10-07T01:05:30","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T22:05:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kapa3.gr\/?p=21508"},"modified":"2025-10-07T01:07:07","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T22:07:07","slug":"shining-the-light-on-medical-gaslighting-and-its-impact-on-patient-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kapa3.gr\/en\/shining-the-light-on-medical-gaslighting-and-its-impact-on-patient-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"Shining the light on medical gaslighting and its impact on patient safety"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This <strong>descriptive review<\/strong>, published in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mednet.gr\/archives\/2025-5\/594abs.html\"><em>Archives of Hellenic Medicine<\/em><\/a> (Volume 42, Issue 5, Sept\u2013Oct 2025), explores the concept of <strong>medical \u201cgaslighting\u201d<\/strong> and its potential <strong>impact on patient safety<\/strong>, such as missed, delayed, or inadequate diagnoses, delayed treatment, and suboptimal health outcomes, resulting from healthcare professionals\u2019 failure to interact effectively with their patients.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGaslighting\u201d is recognized as a form of <strong>emotional and psychological abuse<\/strong> that does not involve physical harm but can instill feelings of fear, isolation, or loss of control in the victim.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What is Medical Gaslighting<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In medical gaslighting, persistent <strong>distortions, misunderstandings, manipulation of reality, treating patients as scapegoats,<\/strong> and coercion are key techniques used by \u201cgaslighters,\u201d creating confusion and distress in patients.<\/p>\n<p>Medical gaslighting is a <strong>covert form of manipulation<\/strong> with serious consequences, where gaslighters often display narcissistic or antisocial personality traits to reinforce their authority.<\/p>\n<p>Certain groups may be particularly vulnerable to this behavior, including individuals who are <strong>overweight, elderly, or living with mental or physical health conditions, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, Black, Indigenous, or other people of color<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Profiles of Gaslighters and Gaslightees<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gaslighters use manipulation to assert and maintain power, often undermining the confidence of their victims.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Patients who experience medical gaslighting may face delayed diagnosis and treatment, as well as negative effects on both mental and physical health.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Signs of Medical Gaslighting<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ignoring or downplaying patients\u2019 symptoms and concerns<\/li>\n<li>Refusal to engage in meaningful dialogue or paying insufficient attention to the patient<\/li>\n<li>Misleading the patient into believing that their symptoms are psychological (e.g., \u201cit\u2019s all in your head\u201d)<\/li>\n<li>Failing to provide referrals or necessary tests<\/li>\n<li>Imposing a single treatment option, typically the one they recommend<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>How Patients Can Protect Themselves<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Empowering patients and encouraging active participation in their care are central to avoiding gaslighting.<\/p>\n<p>Strategies include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Requesting sufficient time for discussion with the healthcare provider<\/li>\n<li>Preparing questions before the appointment<\/li>\n<li>Recording details and taking notes<\/li>\n<li>Being accompanied by a trusted person<\/li>\n<li>Open and honest communication<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Awareness of medical gaslighting is crucial for preventing misdiagnosis and improving health outcomes. <strong>The more patients know about their rights and have self-care tools, the better they are equipped to handle instances of gaslighting.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You can read the review <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kapa3.gr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Kapaki-V-Kotsopoulos-N-2025.pdf\">here\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This descriptive review, published in the Archives of Hellenic Medicine (Volume 42, Issue 5, Sept\u2013Oct 2025), explores the concept of medical \u201cgaslighting\u201d and its potential impact on patient safety, such &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kapa3.gr\/en\/shining-the-light-on-medical-gaslighting-and-its-impact-on-patient-safety\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Shining the light on medical gaslighting and its impact on patient safety<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[571,569,570,244,573,568,247,575,521,572,574],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.10 - 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