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Have you ever told a doctor about your symptoms only to be dismissed with “it’s just anxiety” or “it’s all in your head”? You’re not alone. Medical gaslighting happens when healthcare providers dismiss, downplay, or disbelieve patients’ symptoms. And it hits women hardest.
As Dr. Tara Harding shares in her powerful story, “A lot of medical gaslighting is going on in the women’s space. Most eight out of 10 women were met with what must be anxiety or depression and a mental health referral for physical symptoms and concerns.”
This isn’t just frustrating – it’s dangerous. When doctors don’t take women’s health concerns seriously, proper diagnosis and treatment get delayed, sometimes by years.
Shocking Statistics About Women’s Healthcare
The numbers tell a disturbing story:
- Women wait 33% longer than men for emergency care when experiencing severe stomach pain One study published in Academic Emergency Medicine found that women who went to the emergency room (ER) with severe stomach pain had to wait for almost 33% longer than men with the same symptoms. Northwell
- Women receive 25% less pain medication than men in emergency rooms
- Women are diagnosed with cancer four years later than men
- Women are referred to mental health professionals four times more often than men when reporting physical symptoms
These aren’t just numbers – they’re real people suffering while their concerns are brushed aside.
Root Causes: Why Does This Happen?
Several factors contribute to this widespread problem:
1. Power Imbalance in Healthcare
Medical gaslighting almost always surfaces in situations of power imbalance. “For gaslighting to be effective, the gaslighter must hold power over the victim. Women rarely possess the cultural, economic, and political capital required to gaslight men.” ReSolve GlobalHealth
2. Historical Bias
The word “hysteria” comes from the Greek word for “uterus.” For centuries, women’s medical concerns were dismissed as “female hysteria” – a belief that still influences healthcare today.
3. Lack of Research on Women’s Health
A 2022 women’s health study found that in 86 biomedical clinical trials, only 37% of the participants were women. Dailyfreepress Without proper research, doctors lack the information needed to properly diagnose and treat women.
Real Impact: Tara’s Journey
Dr. Tara Harding’s story shows how medical gaslighting affects real people. As she shared, “Women are diagnosed with cancer four years later than men. Women received 25% less pain meds in the ER or the hospital than men. Lots of gaslighting going on in the women’s space.”
Her journey from facing health struggles to building a telehealth practice that truly listens to women demonstrates how powerful proper care can be.
How to Fight Back: Practical Steps
For Patients:
- Trust your body and symptoms – You know when something isn’t right
- Bring support – Have someone with you at appointments
- Document everything – Keep a symptom journal with dates and details
- Prepare questions – Write them down before your appointment
- Seek second opinions – Don’t hesitate to find a provider who listens
For Healthcare Providers:
- Check your biases – Take courses on unconscious bias
- Listen actively – Let patients fully explain their symptoms
- Validate concerns – Even if you’re unsure of the cause
- Follow up – Make sure patients feel heard
- Create a safe space – As Dr. Harding says, “We always say, you’re in a safe space. There’s no judgment here.”
Telehealth: A Potential Solution
Telehealth offers a promising solution to medical gaslighting. As Dr. Harding explains, “What telehealth did was provide a comfortable setting for women to really open up. My first time meeting with them, I felt like I knew more about them than their provider who has probably seen them for 10 years.”
Telehealth allows women to:
- Speak from a comfortable environment
- Access specialists regardless of location
- Build a healthcare team based on trust rather than proximity
- Feel more empowered to discuss sensitive concerns
Taking Action Today
Medical gaslighting isn’t just a personal issue – it’s a systemic problem that needs addressing at every level.
“What I try to do,” says Dr. Harding, “is educate and raise awareness of what is going on inside your state capital building when it comes to women’s rights.”
By speaking up about medical gaslighting, supporting women-focused research, and demanding better from healthcare systems, we can work toward a future where every woman’s health concerns are taken seriously.
Your symptoms are real. Your pain matters. And you deserve healthcare providers who believe you.
Connect with Dr. Tara Harding for more information: