PT360 - August 2017

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news, you’re more likely to spot threats in your day-to-day activities that aren’t there, which leads to anxiety. WHY IS THE NEWS SO NEGATIVE? As news media revenue goes down and people become desensitized, news organizations feel the pressure to show emotionally relevant material such as crime and accidents. At a basic level, for something to be “newsworthy” — negative or not — it needs to be the exception to the rule, not the norm. That means watching the news might give you an inaccurate view of what daily life is like in the world. HOW TO FIGHT THE NEGATIVITY It’s important to understand important issues of the day. But when the news becomes too much, psychologists encourage you to take a break with some good news — or no news at all. Advances in medicine and technology happen all the time! Seek out those stories, or take a break from news altogether. That’s when no news can become good news. You might be asking yourself, “Does it really matter if my doctor thinks I’m difficult?” The answer is no. The goal of a patient should be to not be a patient anymore, not to become friends with the doctor. There is one label occasionally given to patients you should try to avoid: noncompliant. This is doctor-speak for patients who don’t take their medications or follow medical recommendations. It’s a hairy, red-eyed monster of a problem. Experts estimate around 50 percent of patients don’t follow doctor’s orders. Dr. Danielle Ofri, author and NYU medical professor, said she was studying the topic of noncompliance and decided to try a nonclinical experiment. She prescribed a small group of students with daily doses of Tic Tacs and instructed them to take the “medicine” every day for a week. When they met to review the exercise, no one had taken their medicine every day. She says compliance is paramount to a patient’s health, but she also warns doctors to be compassionate. “Doctors and patients need to work together to figure out what is reasonable and realistic,” she says. So, really invest in your time with your physicians. Respect their expertise. But in the end, are you one antagonistic question away from getting passive treatment? No; a good physician’s level of care doesn’t increase or decrease based on their annoyance level.

For instance, one nurse shared a story on AllNurses.com about how one long-term patient would repeatedly yank her vent tubing off her trach because she knew it would get a faster response than pushing her call light. One time, she almost removed her trach entirely in the act. It’s humorous in retrospect, but at the time, it was dangerous. You probably aren’t participating in that kind of behavior, but this example highlights the attitude every doctor dreads: patients who not only have to be handled differently, but demand to be. If that isn’t you, you are just fine asking difficult and persistent questions. Dr. Rebecca Fox, MD, wrote a blog on PhysiciansPractice.com called “Why I’m Thankful for My Difficult Patients.” These patients make her a better physician and “have changed my perspective on patient care,” she says. The people who take the most time and ask the most questions are probably those who need the most help, and they are the most rewarding for her to heal. There’s a chance the problem isn’t you at all. If a doctor makes you feel too nervous to ask questions, you probably aren’t at the right clinic. David Williams, president of The Health Business Group, says, “There’s really no reason that people should settle for a primary care physician relationship where they feel intimidated. I would encourage people to shop around for someone who will take them seriously and engage with them with the right tone and at the right level.”

T he E ffects of N egative N ews They Say Ignorance Is Bliss ... But Is It Healthy?

It’s nearly impossible to log on to social media or turn on the TV without seeing something distressing. Instead of dwelling on what’s troubling, let’s focus on how to protect our mental health.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF BAD NEWS

A study by Psychology Today found that people who watch negative news feel worse about pre-existing worries than people who watch happy or neutral events. That means people watching the news don’t just feel anxious about the world — they feel more anxious about their own lives. British psychologist Dr. Graham Davey, who specializes in the effects of media violence, says negative news can affect how you interact with the world around you. As you consume threatening

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