Advocating for Your Wellness the health care you need can be challenging. Especially when you feel unheard or misunderstood by the doctors you visit. This is more likely to happen for people of color, women, and 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals. However, it doesn’t have to be this way – you can learn how to advocate for yourself and your wellness at the doctor’s office with a few simple strategies.

The first step is to be prepared and have a list of questions. This can help you understand what’s going on, and it can also make you seem proactive about your health. Having a support person with you can also be helpful. They can give moral support and vouch for your symptoms, as well as help you remember what the doctor said.

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Another way to be prepared is to make sure you know what your follow-up plan is if you get a prescription or new treatment. This can include how long you should wait before calling the doctor or when you should come back in for more testing. It can also include making sure you know how to take your medication, how often, and for how long.

Being a self-advocate can be difficult and intimidating, but it’s an important part of prioritizing your health. Learning how to advocate for yourself at the doctor’s office will help you get the care you need – and deserve. Hopefully these tips will help you be empowered to do that in 2023.