I've experienced several periods of depression throughout my adult life, and while prescription drugs have proved helpful, I've been keen to explore drug-free ways to manage and treat my depression. I started this blog to share my personal experience battling this illness and the alternative treatment options I've tried, including dietary supplements, talking therapies, meditation, relaxation exercises, massage and acupuncture. I also post about current research on the effectiveness of holistic therapies at treating depression, and the blog contains guest posts written by others with depression who have tried drug-free treatments. I hope you find the information on this blog useful.
If you're currently searching for a new primary care doctor in your local area, here are two factors you should take into consideration before choosing a specific GP.
Gender
Whilst the gender of your new doctor might seem inconsequential, it could actually end up being quite important.
The reason for this is as follows; it is absolutely vital to ensure that you feel comfortable with your chosen GP, because if you are too shy or embarrassed to discuss an intimate health problem with them because, for example, they are a man and you are a woman (or vice versa), then you may end up postponing important medical examinations and subsequently developing a serious illness as a result.
As such, in some circumstances, it may be sensible to take gender into consideration when selecting a primary care doctor.
For example, if you are a woman, are quite shy and have a condition that may require regular physical examinations of intimate areas, then you may feel a bit less self-conscious having these examinations performed by a female doctor.
For instance, if you have had breast cancer and need to undergo periodic clinical breast exams, or if you suffered a prolapse after giving birth and are likely to require pelvic floor examinations in the future, then you may find these examinations less stressful if they are performed of someone of the same gender.
Likewise, if you are a man and have been identified as being at risk of developing prostate cancer, you may find the prostate exams you need to undergo each year easier to cope with if they are carried out by a male doctor.
Your work hours
It may also be necessary for you to take your work hours into consideration when deciding which primary care doctor you should register with.
For example, if you work full-time and do 12-hour shifts on a regular basis, then you may need to choose a doctor who offers early morning, late evening or weekend appointments.
If instead of doing this, you choose one which is only open during normal business hours, and your manager is not keen on you taking time off work to visit the doctor, you may end up waiting several weeks to see a doctor when you become ill.
This could lead to the illness progressing far further than it needed to and you having to take a lot of time off work to undergo medical treatments to address this condition.
Keep these tips in mind when you're looking for a new primary care doctor in your area.
Share9 November 2018
