We don’t talk about it a lot, but a lot of shame stems from feeling like you’re unhealthy. And anybody can experience it! All it takes is one person to point out that you’re out of breath after walking up some stairs and wham, the shame hits you straight in the face.
But removing this negative feeling is the first step in being able to live a healthier and happier life. Because being a little out of touch with your health, wellbeing, and fitness isn’t something to be ashamed of. And if you want to change things, that shame certainly isn’t going to help motivate you!
So let’s go through a few of the best ways to take any shame, embarrassment, or guilt you may be feeling and turn it into something a lot more positive.
Work Out Where it’s Coming From
It’s going to be hard to beat health shame without knowing where it comes from. And this answer can be just as variable as health itself. For some people it’s a mix of different experiences, while for others it was a particularly bad one-time event.
But no matter what caused such negative feelings about missing an appointment or deciding to skip the gym for the day, let yourself work out where it stems from.
It might not feel all that great to do, but it’s essential to have this insight. Because once you know the true root cause, you can finally do something to unlearn it and kick it to the curb!
Book in with a Friendly Provider
We all know that missing a health checkup brings some kind of anxiety down on our shoulders. Having to call up to rebook the one time is bad enough, but if you have to do so two or three more times you just want to run and never look back!
And if it’s been years since you last saw any healthcare professional, it’s very hard to get out of the habit of just living your life without any medical advice or support.
If problems like these have stopped you from making a dentist’s appointment before now, or you’ve had to find a new GP because of a judgy receptionist, be on the lookout for a notably friendly provider.
A clinic like Somers Square Dental goes out of their way to ensure all visits are relaxed and personalised. Many clinical surgeries allow you to ask for a chaperone on the same day, so you never have to attend alone.
All in all, you don’t have to keep going back to a medical situation that only reinforces that feeling of shame.
Find somewhere else, ask for support, and don’t be afraid to move out of your comfort zone by actually stating your needs. People are usually more than happy to accommodate for them!
No one should be made to feel shamed about their health. It doesn’t do anyone any good, and it makes committing to wellness even harder.
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