My endometriosis hell and why chronic pain patients need an end to 'medical gaslighting' (10 October 2021)

Summary

Chronic pain patients are often dismissed and told the pain is in their head. For World Mental Health Day, Glasgow Live reporter Sophie Buchan shares her first-hand experience of gaslighting.

Gaslighting refers to a form of emotional abuse which involves "manipulating someone by psychological means into doubting their own sanity".

This can also happen in medical settings - referred to as medical gaslighting. This is used to describe medical practitioners who blame a patient's symptoms on psychological factors, or deny a patient's illness, for example, doubting their pain because they "don't look sick".