The (T)SW doctor

Imagine a doctor looked at your skin and said, “Well, patient X, you have a dependency to the medication that doctors like myself have prescribed you. Even though you used the medication exactly as directed, I’m afraid that you have developed an iatrogenic condition.

“But don’t worry, you’re going to be OK, what you are going through is totally normal and, most importantly, temporary. Therefore, I am prescribing you Netflix, to be taken visually, and 100g of chocolate, to be taken orally. Take baths as needed, take no baths as needed. Use moisturiser as needed, use no moisturiser as needed, because I’m afraid this part is down to you. You might not realise this, and it’s something we rarely acknowledge, but one size in medicine doesn’t fit all, and I can’t get inside your body to know what will work for you. But know that I am here for you, I will never gaslight you, and I will never call what you have eczema, because an iatrogenic condition and a skin condition are two separate things. 

“I believe that a number of my colleagues have called you ‘steroid phobic’, and I can only apologise on their behalf for choosing to ignore symptoms which are as clear as day. I fear that my colleagues need to get their heads out of medical textbooks and instead use their intuition.

“Please do contact me if you are concerned about anything, like a suspected infection, but if not, come back and see me in one month, and if you haven’t made an improvement by then … I wouldn’t expect you to because healing isn’t linear. 

“Find joy where you can, seek distractions, not cures, and get off that bloody phone because you shouldn’t compare yourself to anyone else.

“I wish you well, patient X, and I am here for you, I believe you and, most importantly, you are not alone … and the doubt you are likely feeling is unfortunately part of this process.”

* * *

I might not be a doctor, but I am someone who went through what you’re going through and got better, and this is what I’d say to anyone going through withdrawal right now. 

Withdrawal is awful. It’s one of the worst things most of us will ever have to go through in our life, but it is temporary.

Sending love and healing, always,

Cara x