Treatment Decisions

Today's patient is much more involved in treatment decisions. Long gone are the days when the doctor prescribed and the patient swallowed. Patients often arrive at the doctor's office armed with information that may or may not be factual. Patients' groups, medical websites, research papers and personal beliefs all serve to inform the patient. Allopathic? Alternative? A combination of the two?

Stress can interfere with your ability to make decisions that are in alignment with your values. Decisions that make the most sense for your situation.

It was reported in Science Direct that:

"Stress exposure influences basic neural circuits involved in reward processing and learning, while also biasing decisions toward habit and modulating our propensity to engage in risk-taking."

Another study found that people tend to have a bias towards the positive, while discounting the negative aspects, when making decisions under duress.

Whether faced with a medical emergency, or living with a chronic illness, treatment decisions need to be made. You can help yourself get clarity by learning some in-the-moment stress techniques that allow you to get in touch with what is right for you. When you are stressed, your body prepares for flight or fight, not for careful evaluation of the situation. Learning to settle into a calmer, more coherent way of being resets your nervous system and provides you with a broader perspective.

On HealthCentral.com, I discuss Factors to Consider When Picking An RA Treatment

"The treatment plan for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is significantly different from what it was when I was diagnosed 40 years ago. Along with my diagnosis, I received a prescription for Entrophen and a follow-up appointment. Period. Today, patients have a lot more choices in terms of the healthcare professionals they see and the treatment protocols they follow. Read on for some things to consider to help you make your way through the labyrinth of choices that are available to you."

Click here to see the slideshow.

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