I frequently hear patients who, after telling me about their concerns, state that their spouse, family, or friends do not understand their concerns. They either can not ‘see’ the problem or do not appreciate why it would bother them. And no matter how much these outside influences try to allay the patient’s concerns, it does not in any way change how they feel.
This is perfectly psychologically explainable and understandable. First and foremost, no amount of logic or explanations will change how you feel about something. Emotions can not be changed by logic….only by some form of action. In this case, talking to a plastic surgeon or actually having some procedure done for it. Secondly, the motivations for telling a prospective patient why they shouldn’t do something are often not as benevolent as they may seem. Often they are self-serving, such as jealousy or economic in origin. Furthermore, just because your neighbor wouldn’t have that ‘procedure’ done has nothing to do with you. Your concerns are yours….they don’t have to, and often won’t, make sense to anyone else.
The only person to which one has to justify their psychological concerns is to themselves….or their psychotherapist. Even your closest friend or spouse may never really understand why certain physical issues bother you.
Dr. Barry Eppley
Indianapolis, Indiana