'I Don't Smoke, Doc,' and Other Patient Lies

     This article discusses how patients are more likely to lie to their doctors and health care providers than not.  People lie out of fear of a diagnosis, embarassment, and worry about their information being communicated to their employers.  Also, some people lie to their doctors because they are lying to themselves.  "They want to project to their doctor the image they want for themselves."  One doctor in the article believes patients lie because they don't want to be judged.  Doctors will try to pick up on lies but since visits are quite short in time many lies can go unnoticed.

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     After reading this article I really couldn't believe what I read.  Maybe I am one of a kind but I have never lied to a doctor.  The thought never even crossed my mind.  Doctors are there to help you and how can they help you when you are providing inaccurate information.  Health is extremely important so I don't understand why so many people would jeopardize that because they are embarassed by telling the truth.  Your health will suffer if the truth doesn't come out.  Diagnoses can go unnoticed and a mis-diagnosis' will be more likely.  This is something for sure I would not want to experience and hopefully more people will start to feel that way as well.

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