Does your spouse have any medical conditions that he or she tends to ignore or tries to downplay? If your husband or wife comes down with a bug, does he or she resist going to the doctor until there is no choice?
Many people do not like to go to the doctor. Some even feel it is a sign of weakness, and they insist on toughing it out. Some just don’t like the vulnerability of being sick and attempt to go on as if nothing is wrong. It may also be a way to mask fear if an illness is serious.
It may be difficult to convince your spouse that medical attention is necessary. Some couples even end up having heated arguments over this issue. This is rarely effective and encouragement is a better solution than attempting to force people to do things they don’t want to do.
Try to remain calm and discuss the issue rationally with your husband or wife. Explain that it is because of your love for him or her that you feel better about the situation if your spouse would at least consult with a medical professional. Try to learn if there is an underlying reason why your husband or wife is uncomfortable with medical attention. It could be related to a bad experience.
Another option is to do some research on the illness or condition. It may not be as bad as either one of you thinks it is. There may be new treatment options available that are less invasive or restrictive that you are not aware of and that your spouse may more readily agree to undertake.
Do not ignore the problem and look for loving, gentle ways to encourage your spouse that ignoring it is not an option. Too many times people needlessly allow illness to grow worse, often until it does become serious. Treatment may then become much more difficult or require more or stronger medication.
This is another area in which strong communication skills are valuable. If you can’t talk to your spouse about the small stuff then it will be even more difficult to discuss serious issues. Your relationship can have a profound affect on health on many levels.
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