Dismissed and Dismissed Again: The Dangerous Reality of Medical Gaslighting

I have talked about medical gaslighting before, having experienced it on more than one occasion. It can be highly frustrating as a patient, and I know for myself I got to where I had convinced myself there was nothing wrong with me and my symptoms were all in my heart because that is how I was treated when seeking care.

The short version of my experience is that, for years, on and off, I had a horrible pain in my chest. Sometimes, it would linger; sometimes, it would go away independently. Several…