Blog 7: Relfection

Reflection

Health Communication definitely enlightened me to new information and allowed me to perform further research on my own ailments. At first, I was weary about taking this course as I was unsure about taking a Winter Semester course, as the Winter season is the worst for my invisible illnesses to flare. But, I am proud of myself completing this course to the fullest and actually enjoying the information that I was learning. This course taught me plenty of valuable lessons, but the ones that stuck out best to me were about Patient-Centered Care, Stigma and Health-Related Identity Threats, and Illness & Relationships.

First, Patient-Centered Care revolves around the well-being of the patient. It allows for the ill to take charge and be the decision-maker in regards of their needs, values, and valuable mindset concerning their treatment options and condition. By following PCC, the doctor and the patient can build a trusting relationship that can increase the patient’s participation. By increasing their participation in nurturing their condition, the patient has the opportunity to receive the best possible care. PCC truly puts the patient first, and permits them to feel heard and respected throughout their entire healing process.

On the other hand, I was mostly engaged in the modules concerning stigma and relationships for individuals with illness. Societal stigma, specifically in invisible illness, triggered my passion for producing my Literature Review which led into the Research Proposal. Invisible illnesses are treated as though they are nonexistent, which is surely not the case. Constant deterioration of one’s confidence occurs when a community suppresses a person’s condition as if it were fake. This consistent corrosion makes it extremely difficult for the invisibly ill to foster meaningful interpersonal relationships. The two modules blended well with each other to bring awareness to the continuous and discouraging situations.

Overall, it all clicked for me. I am not alone in this battle of invisible illness that transformed into constant anxiety and spontaneous depressive behaviors. By doing tons of research for my papers, on top of keeping up with the modules in a short time frame, I can honestly say I learned necessary information that will stick with me. I plan to look more into our Positive Communication book to learn additional information about how others deal with illness and how to better practice empathy. I believe learning more on how to communicate optimistically with others will be an incredibly useful took in moving forward in both college and future professional experiences.