I had a conversation with a guy the other day. We’ll call him Bill. He told me that when he went to the doctor, he wanted his doctor to be God. I let it go the first time he said it, but kept repeating it.
Finally, I said, “Do you realize that’s not what you get?”
He looked at me, interested, but kind of confused, maybe just surprised.
I explained the obvious, “Your doctor is born just like you and is subject to all the emotional thought processes of other mortal people like you.”
I completely understand the motives behind wishing your doctor was a god. Gods can do a lot of great things.
- Gods work miracles and can heal with magic.
- Gods know all the answers.
- Gods know how everyone is feeling
- Gods do not make mistakes.
But, even the doctors with god complexes are not gods; they are human.
Your doctor could be getting a divorce, having an argument with a child, or grieving the death of a patient he cared for.
Bill said “In my business, I never let anyone know my emotions.”
I told him, “Your doctor doesn’t either, but it sure affects the way he thinks, his ability to make a good vs. better vs. bad decision, his ability to hear you and process what you’re saying.
To be a good listener, you have to get out of your own head. This is very difficult for us to do as emotional beings.
I’m not sure I convinced Bill that doctors can’t be gods. I think he wanted his doctor to be omnipotent so badly because, if he were, he would be able to tell Bill exactly how a treatment would affect him. Perhaps, like the majority of us, Bill struggled with uncertainty and intellectually, if not consciously, knew that doctors never quite know how a patient will react to the prescribed treatment.
A god knows exactly what you’re experiencing and everything you have been through. A god knows everything they need to know to get you healthy without trial and error. They can tell you exactly what to do and exactly what will happen when you do it.
A human doctor cannot understand the whole complexity of your life. Only you can. That’s why doctors are your advisers, not your directors.
A doctor is an adviser for your body like a mechanic is an adviser for your car. When it’s time for your car’s regular maintenance or something is out of whack, you take your car to the mechanic for a diagnosis and a treatment. When your mechanic tells you what they recommend to fix the car, you choose the maintenance that you think is necessary.
I’m not sure how many of you ask your mechanic– what would you do? Many of my patients ask me.
I can only answer for myself, because I am human, so I only know myself and what’s right for me. I haven’t lived your life, so I don’t know what’s right for you; I can only explain your options to you.
I answer that question — What would you do? — with what I think should be taken into consideration when making the decision. You have to live with the consequences of your decision: not me, not your doctor.
We, your doctors, are here to support you.
Your health is your responsibility.
