Advice

Can I Trust My Physician Won’t Judge Marijuana Use?

Published

9 months ago

August 11, 2023

admin

As many patients fill out their intake forms for their health care providers, some feel a concern that their honesty about aspects of their lifestyle may cause them to receive prejudiced healthcare. Part of being a great physician or health care provider is the ability to be non-judgmental about patients and their lifestyle choices. Asking can I trust my physician won’t just marijuana will get an answer of trust is essential to medical care.

The patient must trust the doctor with personal information in order for the physician to give the best advice for that particular patient. This requires the physician or other health care provider to show the patient that they have an open mind and the patient to trust the provider.

But we must realize that doctors are people with their own biases based upon their upbringing, world experience and personality.

rolling a marijuana joint — Photo by Kampus Production via Pexels

When asked by friends and patients who express concerns about their physicians, I tell them that if they cannot trust their physician with personal information, they need to change physicians if possible.

So how do we navigate the disclosure of cannabis or any recreational drug use in the health care setting? We should begin by thinking about both explicit and implicit bias.

Explicit bias refers to one’s awareness of their pre-exisiting beliefs and makes decisions based upon them. These biases are often easily identified by others.

Implicit bias is an unconscious belief or feeling which can also affect decision making without the person being aware if their influence.

When there’s a conflict between a person’s explicit and implicit attitudes-for example “people say they are not prejudiced but give subtle signs that they are, for example-those on the receiving end may be anxious and confused.”¹

“The individual words that physicians use can be a signal of implicit bias. Words such as “we”, “ours” or “us” can be used by people in power over those of lesser power. This is seen using language such as, We’re going to take our medicine, right?”²

I have always felt that straightforward, non-aggressive questions regarding any issues, conscious or unconscious can help clarify confusion. It is at least worth a try. On the other hand, if the negative bias appears too strong or the anxiety too great, I would recommend a change in provider.

There was a recent online survey that showed 81% of patients withheld medically relevant information. Of those, 81.8% withheld information because they didn’t want to be lectured or judged.³ Well, that generally does not sound like a trusting relationship.

marijuana nug — Photo by Kirill Vasikev / EyeEm/Getty Images

So how do we get through this conundrum: real bias by the physician, fear of bias by the patient and withholding information? We also need to recognize that there can be bias, positive or negative, of the patient towards the health care worker.

There is a weight on the patient’s side of the equation. Regarding the use of cannabis, I would give the same advice in giving a history as I would for alcohol use, exercise and eating.

First, the patient should be honest with themselves. This is best done by keeping an accurate diary of the use of cannabis; whether medical or recreational or both. With this in hand, the physician is given more definitive information for their judgements of patient care. An answer of “just a moderate amount” or “only socially” gives such a wide variance of quantity that it can be misinterpreted. Although it is quite boring to do so, having a diary of use over two weeks, along with effects, can significantly improve a discussion about cannabis.

In the end I feel honest, straightforward discussions with accurate information leads to better health care. Age or type of advanced training of a healthcare professional does not increase or decrease bias. There is continued research about bias which will improve our knowledge of the issues.

“On a more discrete level, we are trying to achieve a better understanding of how situational factors like stress and time constraints could activate bias and influence treatment decisions.” ⁴

I like to think that health care providers go into their chosen field with an open mind about their patients and their lifestyle choices. In the end, healthcare workers are well educated, but are people too, with their own imperfections trying to partner with their patients for better health care.

____________________

¹ Monitor on Psychology, March 2019 pg 33
² Health Communication, Vol 32, No 4, 2017
³ JAMA Netw Open. 2018;1(7):e185293. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.5293
⁴ Monitor on Psychology, March 2019 pg 37

Source link

Advice

5 Key Things To Check On A CBD Label

Published

12 hours ago

May 9, 2024

admin

Science and the public have been good to CBD. It helps with the ever popular issue of sleeping and it can help reduce anxiety. Discreet, convenient and semi fast acting – it can be a help mate for first dates, stressful family events, or just rough days. The CBD/cannabis Epidiolex has been proven to reduce seizures and is the first cannabis-derived medicine approved by the FDA. So lots of benefits, but since it is still a bit of a newbie on shelves…you need to be careful of what you buy. Here are 5 key tags to check on a CBD label.

Reading product labels is often confusing, overly technical and filled with materials no one understands. Add to the mix the fact CBD is still in FDA limbo, and you need a list like this to point you in the right direction. Here are 5 things to check when reading a CBD label.

Make sure CBD is in on the label and in the product

First thing’s first: make sure there’s actually CBD in your CBD product. Today’s CBD landscape is filled with products that claim to contain CBD while really containing just hemp oil, or lie about the amount of CBD they contain. Look for either CBD or cannabidiol and be wary of products containing hemp seeds, cannabis sativa, hemp seed oil, etc. Although these ingredients sound weedy, they’re not the same thing as CBD.

The FDA's Relationship To CBD Is Confusing Everyone — Photo by IRA_EVVA/Getty Images

Check the dosage and ingredients

Dosage in key in how effective it will be. Be understanding it you time the amount you need then time out when you might want to take it again. Additionally, look for a full list of ingredients, including the carrier oil used. Check for any potential allergens or additives you want to avoid.

Keep an eye out for COA

COAs guarantee the product you’re looking at has been tested by a third party facility that has no relationship to the maker. Their results are unbiased and thus trust worthy. Reputable companies should feature this information on their labels, which should come in the shape of a bar code and should be easily accessed via smartphone. If this isn’t the case, the COA should appear on the product’s website.

Here's How Long It Takes To Feel CBD's Effects — Photo by Sabrina Rohwer via Pexels

Look for the CBD oil source

One of the first red flags of fake CBD products is a label that’s vague or doesn’t state where the CBD oil was sourced. CBD can be sourced from cannabis plants or industrial hemp, and most quality products tend to be “full spectrum,” “broad spectrum,” or “CBD isolate.”

Know your cannabis state laws

This is important since CBD label requirements vary by state, with the best labels being from products sold in areas where marijuana is legal. If you’re purchasing a product from out of a legal state, these packages should at least imitate how regulated products look.

Source link

Advice

How To Manage Warring Political Conversations

Published

3 weeks ago

April 18, 2024

admin

The presidential campaign is in full swing – but why should it interrupt friend and family gathers…here are the best tips to managing different political perspectives.

With the presidential race heating up and the country seemingly divided, how can you hang with the people you have known who might have a different political perspectives. Patience, grace and planning can make it a bit easier. Here are some tips on to manage warring political conversations at events.

First, think and understand people are different than you and rarely do people all have the exact same opinions. Also think why you are gathering, what is the purpose and is it more about

When it comes to your boundaries, don’t mince words. If you know yourself and feel you won’t be able to engage in a discussion regarding politics without become heated, let other people know that you won’t be talking politics. If you want to have a discussion with someone, try to be the person you’d like to have a discussion with, taking turns to listen and talking while measuring your words and not being insulting.

Plan ahead

If you are organizing an event, think about why you are pulling people together. If it a birthday, to celebrate a happy occasion or a good catch up, think of the guests and how they will interact. Taking the time beforehand and sharing behavior no-nos like yelling, dominating a conversion, snide comments or bullying tactics will not be accepted. Recognize people are being invited to something enjoyable, not a cage match.

State your discomfort

If you’re having a conversation and it starts to get heated, state your discomfort. Try to avoid awkwardness and instead push for being as sincere as you can. Your response will vary depending on the person you’re talking to; if speaking to a coworker, try to change the subject or state that you’re not in the mood for politics. When speaking to friends and family, you can try a more honest approach.

Know when to end a conversation

The more you’re exposed to different kinds of people, the more you learn how to read their physical and verbal cues. Be aware of them, so when the conversation turns heated, change the course. Election eve might be too late to change someone’s mind, especially if they have strong political views. Save yourself the stress and try to preserve that relationship if it’s important to you.

Have an open mind

It’s always important to have a discussion with an open mind; try to understand why this person thinks the way they do. This doesn’t mean that you have to agree with them, but it can help you have a more civilized conversation, ensuring that the relationship won’t be lost due to the heat of the moment. Empathy can go a long way.

When it comes to your boundaries, don’t mince words. If you know yourself and feel that you won’t be able to engage in a discussion regarding politics without screaming, let other people know that you won’t be talking politics. If you want to have a discussion with someone, try to be the person that you’d like to have a discussion with, taking turns to listen and talking while measuring your words and not being insulting.

Source link

Advice

The Best Activities To Maximize Your Weekend

Published

2 months ago

March 23, 2024

admin

Sometimes you have a week of 5 Mondays and it seems a half of Saturday – here are some tips to make the most of your weekend and be ready for the next round of Mondays

Most people work 5 days then have a weekend – for some it is Saturday/Sunday for others it is more flexible. But what should be flexible is going to your mind and body a break so you can head back to work refreshed and energized. The better you are at relaxing and resting, the better you will be at working. Downtime is essential for increasing attention, boosting mood, unlocking creativity, and solving problems. It’s also necessary for improving learning and memory and restoring mental health at work.

A Stanford study demonstrates that over working has clear limitations, with employees showing a sharp decline in productivity when they clocked in more than 50 hours per week. People in the study who worked more than 70 hours per week managed to get the same amount of work done than people who worked 55 hours per week. Where does all of that time go?

Studies like these highlight how important is to have time for yourself, where you can reflect, think, rest and do things that bring you pleasure. Downtime can significantly improve mental and physical health and personal relationships. One study, for example, found employees who unplugged and took time off reduced serious health issues like coronary heart disease.

Disconnect from work

It’s important to remove yourself from work over the weekend, digitally and physically, so that you feel that you had some days off and were able to rest. This is easier said than done, especially if you need to get work done over the weekend. What you can do is make a weekend work schedule that allows you to check emails and make calls without the time you’d spend doing other more pleasant things.

Minimize your chores

Chores tend to pile up over the week, resulting in weekends where all you manage to do is clean up and fix stuff around your apartment. To avoid this, try scheduling your chores throughout the week, making them a part of your day to day routine and giving you more time to relax over the weekend. Laundry can be done in small amount rather than a chunk of a Saturday afternoon.

Work out

Finding the time to exercise is taxing, especially on week days where you have to work and get other things done. Weekends are perfect for clocking in your workouts, giving you tons of time of fit in exercises that feel motivational and much less like chores.

Do something you’re passionate about

Find time to do something you enjoy, be that drawing, writing, reading, or something else that makes you think and also makes you happy. By doing this activity on the weekend you’ll reap even more benefits because you’ll feel like you’re actually doing something instead of passing the time.

Try to wake up at the same time

This is kind of hard but it works if you’re the type of person who has a hard time easing yourself back into the week. Inconsistent wake up times over the weekend disturb your circadian rhythms, resulting in you feeling very tired and groggy despite the fact that you slept more than you do regularly. This uncomfortable feeling can also seep into your Mondays and throw the rest of your week off balance.

Use your mornings as your “me time”

Your mind achieves peak performance two to four hours after you wake up, resulting in really gratifying morning activities where you’ll get to have better workouts and enjoy whatever it is that you’re doing.

Prepare for the week

By planning some of your work ahead of time, your weeks will be much more productive. You’ll skip the entire “set up” stage of your Mondays, jumping right into your work and making your week feel much more pleasant and easy going.

Resting during the weekend gives your body and mind a chance to recharge and recover from the stresses of the week. This can help you feel more energized and productive when you return to work on Monday. When you’re tired and overworked, it’s easy to become irritable and short-tempered but fully rested improves your mood and outlook.

Source link