Look Who's Laughing

Are you a patient somewhere? Of course. We all are.I have news for you: Your doctors, nurses, dentists, and pretty much anyone you've encountered in health care... Have laughed at you behind your back.Even if you don't think there's anything about your case, or personality, or clothes, or pretty much anything to make fun of, they probably had some shared giggle about you.Offended? Sorry. Humor is a human behavior, and in medicine it's used to release stress in the course of a difficult and demanding job. Laughing at a patient doesn't mean we don't care, or think less of you, or don't like you. It is, often, the only way we survive the course of the day.Think about it: what do YOU do for a living? Sell cars? Insurance agent? Lawyer? Odds are you do the same thing to your clients/customers/whatever. After they leave you likely joke about their hairstyle, or mannerisms, or fashion sense. Here in medicine we're no different.Regardless of where we're from or what we do for a living, humor is a common denominator. We use it to break tension, cope with stress, and bond with those around us. Sharing a joke, even behind someone else's back, is human nature. Our cousins, like chimps, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans also use laughter and humor as a social device.Think about it: would you rather have a doctor who absolutely won't make a joke when he leaves the room? Or one who's staying sane so she can care for you better?Humor is part of human nature, and keeps us sane. And, in an i...
Source: Doctor Grumpy in the House - Category: Neurologists Authors: Source Type: blogs