Bed-Side Behaviours

People visiting the sick people talk of other sick people who are suffering from various illness without realizing that it may aggravate the condition of the former. For example, when we fall ill, we tend to center on the particular disease by which we are affected to the exclusion of all other thoughts. Similarly , when we get infected by a certain disease, our whole attention is centered around that vary disease only. We remember various person who had suffered from it. Suppose we are suffering from conjunctivitis, we talk about only those of our relatives who have had it before us. We think of all our relatives who are still suffering from it. In particular, we recall those relatives whose condition are deteriorating day by day. And we get frightened lest the same fate should overtake us. When we have eye infection we only think of those whose conditions are gone bad to worse. We never think of those who got well and are now hale and hearty. Even those friends who comes to inquire after our health and wish for our speedy recovery, fill our mind with pessimism. Similarly, our women folk also help spread the incidence of disease. For example, a neighbor calls on sick man and relates to him with a show of sympathy how her father died within three days of contracting a similarly disease and how a merchant who was recently married passed away as a result of the same type of the disease. She adds that the disease is a severe one and must be attended with great care. In his case the physician has given up all hope, Only the future can tell what will be his further development, She advises the patient to have care and says that the sort of disease, that he is having , is of a virulent nature. In this way she sows in the mind of the patient the seeds of fear and misgiving. Similarly, one of his female well-wishers may come forward to warn him that of this fever is accompanied by cough, it may take a bad turn. A second one may make a step further and predict that cough must always accompany this disease, cites the case of his brother who started coughing as soon as he got the fever. By way of consolation third one says that cough as such will not pose any danger so long as chest infection is kept at an arms length. The doctor who is handling this case stresses that this sort of fever is generally attended bu oedema of lungs. The fourth one volunteers the view that the attending doctor can not cure it at all.  Many people have been victims of his treatment. He suggests that a physician charging a fat fee should be called in. All such views are ventilated within the hearing of the sick man without taking care to think f the affect of such prattle on the patient. Instead of bringing about quick recovery, it may worsen the disease because the brain weakened by disease may further deteriorate. his disease-affected brain is not in a condition to think properly by itself. He is quickly affected by what he hears and the result may be worse that is intended. In other words, undermine his self-confidence. So if you wish to bring real comfort to the patient and secure speedy recovery from disease, you should speak only such words that can bring him comfort and raise his optimism and hope.