Many of us put off seeing a doctor when it can have a detrimental effect on our health. By not get health problems checked early, they can often get more severe. Here are just a few of the most common excuses that could be causing you to endanger your health and what you can do to overcome them.
‘I don’t have the time’
No matter how busy your schedule, your health should always come as a priority. Nowadays, there are more flexible options than ever when it comes to seeing a doctor. It’s possible to book an appointment online with a primary care doctor. There are also out of hours services that you can look into if you really don’t want to take time off work. There are even doctors that will come and visit you so that you don’t have to go out of your way to travel to a clinic.
‘I can’t afford it’
Medical care can be expensive, however there are lots of forms of funding that you can look into to make medical care more affordable. Health insurance is the most common option and tends to be the most economical. There are also low interest and no interest medical loans that can allow you to borrow money for expensive treatment. On top of this, some clinics may offer the option to pay for treatment in instalments (usually in advance, but some may allow you to pay in instalments after). Finally, there’s the option of hiring an advocate to help you shop around for cheap treatment if you really cannot afford treatment. Make sure to explore all of these options.
‘I’m too scared/embarrassed’
Some people develop a fear of the doctors. This could be a fear of being around other ill people, a fear of blood, a fear of needles or even a fear of knowing the truth. There are then those that get embarrassed by having to talk about certain issues or don’t want to be poked in certain places. It’s important to realise that the benefits of seeing a doctor are worth the discomfort. If you have a phobia, it could be worth taking someone with you or even looking into therapy. If it’s a case of embarrassment, you may simply need to remind yourself that doctors are professionals – they’re not going to laugh at you and they’ve probably seen a lot worse.
‘I’ll get over it’
In most cases, ignoring health problems won’t cause them to go away. It’s best to get health problems see to early just in case they are serious. The earlier you catch them, the easier they’ll be to cure. Waiting for a problem to go away could simply make it worse and then your available treatment options are likely to be more expensive, riskier and less pleasant.