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11. Lying To Your Doctor About Your Alcohol Consumption
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"Yeah I only have one or two beers a month, tops." Your doctor knows you're lying, you know you're lying, so what's the point? It seems quite strange if your monthly drink count is one or two. Tell your doctors straight forwardly; when all else fails, learn to lie better. One drink a week seems more likely than one a month. < This popular lie draws attention to a complicated relationship many of us have with regard to authoritative figures and personal health practices. Often in the face of medical need, the need to show our best selves trumps our better judgment. Doctor's offices all around show a strange dance of half-truths and understatements. Of course, the irony is that this dishonesty could compromise the same care we're looking for. Many undoubtedly contribute to a degree of underreporting on sensitive issues like alcohol intake; doctors are taught to read between the lines. But why then do we do it? It might be guilt, anxiety about criticism, or just our deeply rooted tendency to show our best selves. Although some would contend that's a harmless white lie, in fact it could cause misdiagnosis or improper treatment. Maybe the answer is not in improving my lying skills but rather in encouraging a more honest, nonjudging communication between patients and doctors. In terms of your health, after all, integrity is indeed the best insurance.
