Majority of the patients are aware that they should disclose all their problems to the doctor. Therefore, the patient may tell you personal matters which may affect you emotionally.
For Holistic Diagnosis it is essential to take all past experiences of the patient into account. Personal and family problems as well as matters of interpersonal relationships having an emotional tone may arouse similar feelings in doctors mind. Doctors may come across such encounters Often this can adversely influence the mental health of the doctor. The doctor must have sympathy towards a patient but should not get involved emotionally. He should try to logically understand the situation and give proper advice to face the circumstance in peaceful manner but he should not brood over those problems later on. If one has sensitive personality one can tends to carry impressions for a long time. This is harmful for your own health as well as for an ideal doctor patient relationship. A proper attitude towards your job and responsibility would help you in developing empathy towards the patient. Understand that your responsibility is to give proper advice and guide patients to overcome their problems. In no way you are emotionally attached to your patient. If your patient tells you a sad event of his life don't say I am saddened on hearing your experience". Instead say, "I understand your problem and in the midst of such circumstances you can have this type of attitude or you can handle this matter in such a manner. Chandrika, a housewife, who was taking my therapy for her fearful reactions towards her mother-in-law told me, "My mother-in-law always finds faults in me but when I answer her back I feel disturbed myself and think later on I should have not back answered her. I keep on brooding over her words which is all the more painful." I explained to her that both these reactions were undesirable. For improving her mental health she needed to either listen to the comments and not care for them at all by thinking logically that due to her old age mother-in-law is having some emotional problems and hence makes such comments. Or if she thinks that logical convictions are not enough she can give reply to the comments of her mother in-law and then feel that what she has done is absolutely right In this manner, a doctor can show healthy choices to the patient and let the patient choose what would suit his/her personality.
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