Calling out medical gaslighting in healthcare

Medically reviewed by Ms. Roisin Traynor, mental health counsellor  

Medical gaslighting is more likely to happen to women and people of colour.  

In a campaign called ‘Real Women, Real Pain’, The International Association for the Study of Pain showed that women experience more chronic pain conditions than men, yet their pain is often treated less seriously and not believed. One study found that when women and men both presented symptoms of heart disease, women were twiceas likely to be diagnosed with a mental health condition. In another study, 45% of females said they didn’t think their healthcare providers took their symptoms seriously.  

This major health inequality contributes to what’s known as the gender pain gap. It stems from the false assumption that women are more emotional than men and that their pain is therefore exaggerated or even imagined. This bias becomes apparent when it comes to pain management, where women experiencing pain are more likely to be prescribed sedatives rather than pain killers. Sedatives are commonly used to treat anxiety, irritability, and panic disorders, suggesting that women’s pain is first perceived as anxiety rather than being taken seriously, resulting in delayed and inadequate treatment.  

A significant reason for the gap is also the lack of education and research studying the differences between how men and women experience pain. It’s important to note your provider may not be doing this intentionally. Often, the pressure to see as many patients as possible and the understaffing in hospitals can lead to rushed appointments and inadequate support. This systemic issue within the healthcare system puts both patients and providers in challenging situations.  

The long history of racial injustice in medicine, along with the underrepresentation of ethnic groups in clinical trials, has led to racial bias in diagnosis and treatment, particularly when it comes to pain conditions. Stereotypes about how non-white people experience pain have created significant disparities in the quality care they receive. A 2016 studyfound that more than half of medical trainees believed incorrect statements about Black individuals i.e., Black skin is thicker than Whiteskin, Black people feel pain less than White people.  

In general, menstruation is still seen as a social and cultural taboo; almost 45% of women feel difficulty discussing their intimate and reproductive health. Unfortunately, for those with endometriosis, medical gaslighting only adds to the barriers they face in getting a proper diagnosis and treatment. 

You may feel discouraged from speaking about your symptoms, lose trust in your healthcare system, and avoid returning for treatment. This could potentially delay your diagnosis. In one survey by Endometriosis UK, up to 75% of women stated they would not approach a doctor for painful period symptoms. Some felt that period pain was considered 'normal' (23%), while others worried that their doctors wouldn't take their pain seriously (25%). 

In a research study on women with endometriosis, many of them reported feeling confused, ashamed, doubtful, and helpless. Shared experiences included difficulties in obtaining a diagnosis, experiencing multiple misdiagnoses and re-diagnoses, feeling as if they were not receiving sufficient help, and being forced to self-manage their symptoms. 

Many women hesitate to seek advice from a healthcare professional out of fear their problems won't be taken seriously. In our next article, we go into detail how you can spot medical gaslighting and ways to approach it.

Next article: How to advocate against medical gaslighting