Medical Gaslighting: When Doctors Dismiss Your Symptoms and What You Can Do About It

You left the appointment feeling worse than when you went in. Not because of the diagnosis -- because the doctor did not believe you.

If that has happened to you, I need you to know something first. You are not being oversensitive. You are not imagining it. And you are not alone.

I am Dr Kennedy Umege -- a UK GP with over 20 years of medical experience across Nigeria and the UK, with 8 years in the NHS, including in diverse, under-served communities where symptom dismissal is routinely reported. In this article, I am going to explain what medical gaslighting is, why it disproportionately affects ethnic minority communities in the UK, and exactly what you can do to protect yourself.

What Is Medical Gaslighting?

Medical gaslighting describes a situation where a patient's reported symptoms are dismissed, attributed to psychological causes without proper investigation, or handled in a way that makes the patient doubt their own experience.

It is not always intentional. Most doctors are not consciously dismissing patients. But bias can be implicit. It can operate without awareness. And the outcome for the patient is the same regardless of intent.

Common forms include:

• Being told "it's probably just anxiety" without any physical examination
• Being told symptoms are "normal for your age" when they are not
• Being given a prescription for antidepressants when you presented with chest pain
• Being made to feel that asking follow-up questions is problematic
• Being told your concerns are "health anxiety" before any tests are run

A 2022 report by the Women and Equalities Committee found that women -- particularly Black women -- were significantly more likely to experience their pain being minimised in healthcare settings. Research published in the British Journal of General Practice found ethnic minority patients were more likely to feel dismissed during GP consultations (Burt et al., 2016).

Medical gaslighting is real, documented, and disproportionate. It is not your imagination.

Why Does Medical Gaslighting Happen More in Ethnic Minority Communities?

This is the part most doctors will not explain in the appointment. There are several interacting factors.

Unconscious Bias in Medical Training

Medical training has historically been based on research conducted predominantly on white male populations. Conditions present differently across ethnicities. For example, heart attacks in South Asian women often do not look like the "classic" Hollywood version. If a doctor has not been specifically trained to recognise those variations, they may underweight the symptom.

Pain Bias

There is documented evidence that some clinicians hold false beliefs about pain perception across racial groups. A widely cited study published in PNAS in 2016 (Hoffman et al.) -- conducted in the United States but frequently referenced in UK clinical training -- found that some clinicians believed Black patients feel less pain than white patients. This affected prescribing decisions. Similar patterns of pain minimisation have been documented in UK settings, including in the Women and Equalities Committee 2022 report on women's health.

Cultural Communication Differences

Some communities express distress indirectly. A South Asian patient who says "I am feeling tired all the time and have no energy" may be describing clinical depression. But if the clinician does not ask the right follow-up questions and the patient does not use the expected vocabulary, the symptom gets logged as fatigue rather than investigated for a mental health condition.

If you are struggling with how healthcare interactions are affecting your mental health, Mind UK offers support and resources for people from all communities.

Time Pressure in the NHS

NHS GP appointments are typically 10 to 12 minutes. Under time pressure, clinicians unconsciously fall back on pattern recognition -- and those patterns are shaped by their training and experience. Patients who communicate differently, or who present with symptoms outside the expected pattern, are more likely to be misread.

Dismissal often comes from training gaps, implicit bias, and structural time pressure -- not malice. But the impact on you is still real.

Six Signs You May Be Experiencing Medical Gaslighting

Knowing the difference between a doctor who disagrees with you after a thorough assessment and a doctor who has not properly listened to you is essential.

1. Your symptoms are attributed to stress or anxiety without physical tests being offered first.
2. You are discouraged from returning. Phrases like "I'm not sure what else we can do" when you have only had one or two appointments.
3. Your own description of your symptoms is reframed. You say "sharp pain in my chest" and the notes record "patient reports mild discomfort."
4. You are talked over or interrupted consistently during the appointment.
5. You leave every appointment without a plan. No investigation, no referral, no follow-up date, no clear explanation of why none of those things were offered.
6. You are told to lose weight, reduce stress, or exercise -- without those recommendations being connected logically to your specific complaint.

Compare this to a doctor who genuinely disagrees after a thorough assessment. They will explain their reasoning, document their findings, give you a clear opportunity to return if symptoms change, and offer a second opinion pathway.

Disagreement is medicine. Dismissal is not.

What To Do: A Practical Action Framework

Here is exactly what to do -- before, during, and after your appointment -- if you are concerned about not being heard.

Before the Appointment

• Write your symptoms down. Include when they started, how often they occur, what makes them better or worse, and how much they affect your daily life. Bring this on paper or show it on your phone.
• Use the word "significant." Saying "this is significantly affecting my quality of life" carries different clinical weight than "it's bothering me a bit."
• Ask a trusted friend or family member to accompany you if you feel you may be rushed or dismissed. This is your legal right.

During the Appointment

• Ask directly: "What investigations are you offering, and why are you not offering others?"
• Ask: "What would need to happen for me to be referred to a specialist?"
• Ask the doctor to document your concerns in your records -- specifically that you raised them and that you believe they need further investigation.
• If the appointment feels dismissive, say: "I understand your current view, but I would like a second opinion. How do I arrange that?"

After the Appointment

• Review your medical notes. Under the NHS Constitution and GDPR, you have the right to access your medical records. Request them via your GP surgery or the NHS app.
• Request a second opinion. If you believe your concerns were not properly addressed, you have the right to request a second opinion from a different clinician within the same practice or another.
• Raise a formal concern if needed. If a pattern of dismissal continues, contact your local Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) to discuss your options and, if appropriate, raise a formal complaint through the NHS Complaints process.

This Is About Partnership, Not Conflict

I want to say this carefully, as a doctor.

Advocating for yourself in a clinical appointment is not the same as not trusting your doctor. Good doctors want informed, engaged patients. When you come in prepared, with written symptoms and specific questions, you make the appointment more effective. You help us help you better.

Some communities have historical reasons to be wary of healthcare systems -- that is real and valid. But the tools in this article are not about suspicion. They are about being an equal participant in a conversation that is about your body and your life.

You are allowed to ask questions. You are allowed to push back. You are allowed to take up your full appointment time. You are allowed to feel heard. And if you are not feeling heard, you are allowed to escalate.

Red Flag Symptoms: Do Not Wait

If you have any of the following symptoms and you are being told they are nothing, please do not wait:

• Chest pain, shortness of breath, or pain radiating into your arm or jaw -- call 999
• Blood in your stool, urine, or when coughing -- seek urgent same-day GP assessment or call 111
• Unexplained weight loss of more than 5% of your body weight over 3 months -- request urgent GP review
• A new lump anywhere on your body -- this needs same-day or next-day triage, not reassurance without examination
• Persistent fatigue with no explanation lasting more than 4 weeks -- this needs investigation, not dismissal

These are clinical red flags. If you are told they are "probably nothing" without a proper assessment, that is the moment to push back hardest.

Watch my full video explanation on The Educating GP YouTube channel for more detail on each of these steps, including the exact phrases to use in your appointment.

References

• Women and Equalities Committee. Report on Women's Health (2022). Link
• Hoffman KM, Trawalter S, Axt JR, Oliver MN. "Racial bias in pain assessment and treatment recommendations, and false beliefs about biological differences between blacks and whites." PNAS, 113(16): 4296-4301 (2016). Link
• Burt J, Lloyd CE, Campbell J, Roland M, Abel G. "Variations in GP-patient communication by ethnicity, age, and gender: evidence from a national primary care patient survey." British Journal of General Practice, 66(642): e47-e52 (2016). Link
• Smyth N, Ridge D, Kingstone T, et al. "People from ethnic minorities seeking help for long COVID: a qualitative study." British Journal of General Practice, 74(749): e814-e822 (2024). DOI: 10.3399/BJGP.2023.0631
• GMC. Good Medical Practice (2024). Link

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This content is for general health education only. It does not replace individual medical advice. Always consult your doctor for personal health decisions.

Dr Kennedy Umege is a UK GP (MBBS, MRCGP) with over 20 years of medical experience across Nigeria and the UK, with 8 years in the NHS. This content is independent educational commentary and does not represent NHS employers or organisations.