False Positives
Learn ways to self-regulate and manage the stress and pain associated with false positives.
The Stress of Medical Diagnosis
We live in a world that wants to slice, dice, burn, and break us in the pursuit of perceived health and wellness.
Every test comes with stress, whether good or bad. This is the nature of the biomedical model: to search, search, and search until it finds the one thing it believes is the source, then to go scorched-earth until it is resolved.
In the entirety of my cancer journey and life, I have never had even one biomedical-focused healthcare provider express any concern about my quality of life.
The modern healthcare system has its place, but its approach is not perfect. We must advocate for ourselves and research every diagnosis and treatment, even when our physicians tell us not to.
I know what it is like to be pressured by surgeons and oncologists who use their power differential to scare me into submission, so I do what they want me to do. This resulted in years of suffering and chronic pain from treatments that weren’t necessary.
False Positive Rates
Before taking a test, research its false-positive rate, and get retested if it comes back positive. This is your only life, don’t let someone’s mistake lead to your ruin and pain.
People make mistakes, even doctors; they are people just like us, and we make mistakes every day. Artificial intelligence has made its way into the medical field for note-taking and medical diagnosis. How many times have you asked AI a simple question and received a wrong answer? Be mindful of your doctor’s use of AI in your treatment and care.
Minimize the negative effects of tests by advocating for yourself. When tested, our physicians rarely volunteer the false-positive rates or the number of people who have undergone unnecessary, invasive procedures as a result. False positives often lead to invasive follow-up procedures that can result in infections, bleeding, pain, and lasting psychological stress.
Tests Can Lead To Stress
Taking a test can lead to stress, which then magnifies our perception of pain. While in this state, the way our physician describes our ailment can result in more worry. A few scary words or a bad explanation can cause even more anxiety and pain.
False positives can result in tremendous degrees of stress, and this can amplify your pain. Prior to taking any test, you must accept that the results may be wrong, and fear will make you more susceptible to influence.
Emotions are powerful and tend to override our ability to think because they are pervasive and unrelenting. They demand our attention and want to be addressed in the moment. Pain management at its core is about self-regulation. It is okay to give attention to our emotions because they are important, but we must always be more than our emotions.
Prior to taking the test, ask yourself,
- What are you willing to do as a result of the test?
- What kind of life do you want to live?
- How much are you willing to give up?
- What do you love about life?
- How much pain are you willing to endure, and for how long?
Think about your boundaries, wants, needs, and dreams. Use these to create a container of safety to rein in your feelings before you are confronted with fear.
Be your own advocate, have hope, and be prepared to defend the life you want to live.
Take the Next Step
False positive test results can lead to unnecessary procedures and lasting physical or emotional effects. When that happens, pain and protective responses can continue even after the original concern has been ruled out. Pain management coaching focuses on rebuilding a clearer sense of safety, reducing lingering threat, and supporting recovery after medical experiences that have left your system on high alert.
If you would like to explore how coaching may help in these situations, you can learn more about pain management coaching.
Jennifer Brand Spa
Pain Management at 2717 Hwy K, O’Fallon, MO 63368