i have always struggled with healthcare settings. I had some traumatic childhood experiences in hospital and just as I was getting over it (15 years on) history repeats itself with the GP. I’m another 6 years in and any requirement for me to involve my GP which is reasonably regularly for other things causes me sever anxiety/panic attacks with physical symptoms as well as feeling very depressed and worthless. I do not feel this way if I’m not having to involve medical professionals in my life, and I rub along just fine. I believe this is specifically related to doctors.
Does anyone have an my smart suggestions of ways I could tackle this? As I’m sure you can understand, making an appointment with the GP to tell them they leave me feeling like shit is not really something I feel up to doing. It’s like saying someone with a severe fear of flying will have to fly across the Atlantic in order to access support to help them get over the fear.
I don’t think I’ll be taken seriously trying to get a diagnosis of depression because it is so tightly linked to having to access GP/Hospital services where there’s blood tests or tubes, so potentially PTSD related. I can go to physio, xray, opticians etc without the same symptoms, but not the GP which renders me very stressed, teary, shaky, being physically sick etc, but they seem to be the gatekeeper of all healthcare access, with nothing able to be accessed without a GP referral.
Sorry if that’s long. It used to not be too bad but now due to other health issues dealing with the GP is becoming regular enough that it is beginning to cause me major issues.