The repeated dismissal of patients’ symptoms can undermine trust in healthcare professionals, delay diagnosis and create psychological distress. Researchers are calling for greater attention to communication and power imbalances in healthcare.

A patient visits a hospital repeatedly, describing persistent pain, exhaustion or unexplained symptoms. Tests may not immediately reveal a clear diagnosis. Instead of receiving further investigation or an explanation, the patient is told that the problem is probably stress, anxiety or an exaggerated perception of discomfort.

For some patients, this experience becomes more distressing than the original symptoms.

Known as medical gaslighting, the phenomenon describes situations in which patients feel their health concerns are repeatedly dismissed, minimised or invalidated by healthcare professionals or institutions.

The issue has attracted growing attention in psychological and medical research, particularly among people living with chronic and difficult-to-diagnose conditions.

What is medical gaslighting?

The term refers to more than an occasional disagreement between a doctor and a patient.

A 2026 academic perspective published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine emphasised repeated dismissal and invalidation of health concerns that can make individuals question the legitimacy of their own experiences.

Patients with conditions such as endometriosis, long COVID and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) have frequently reported feeling that their symptoms were minimised or incorrectly attributed to psychological causes.

Why does it happen?

Several factors may contribute to this problem:

• Time constraints: Doctors working under heavy patient loads may have limited time to understand complex medical histories.
• Diagnostic uncertainty: Conditions without obvious clinical markers can be difficult to identify.
• Gender-related assumptions: Women’s symptoms have historically been under-recognised in several areas of medical research and practice.
• Communication gaps: Patients may feel that their concerns are not being taken seriously or adequately explained.
• Power imbalance: Patients may hesitate to question medical authority, even when symptoms persist.

The psychological consequences

Repeated dismissal can have consequences beyond delayed treatment.

Patients may develop anxiety, lose confidence in their own judgement or become reluctant to seek further medical assistance.

The American Psychological Association’s October 1, 2026, report, The Hidden Harms of Medical Gaslighting, highlighted research connecting symptom invalidation with psychological distress, reduced trust in healthcare and delays in appropriate treatment.

How can healthcare systems respond?

Medical professionals need to create environments in which patients feel comfortable explaining their symptoms.

Active listening, transparent communication, appropriate referrals and clear explanations of diagnostic uncertainty can improve the patient experience.

Patients should also be encouraged to seek a second medical opinion when symptoms persist or their concerns remain unresolved.

Importantly, not every negative medical experience constitutes gaslighting. A doctor may disagree with a patient’s interpretation of symptoms or explain that further testing is unnecessary without deliberately invalidating the patient.

The distinction lies in repeated dismissal and the failure to take legitimate concerns seriously.

Healthcare should not be limited to identifying diseases through tests. It must also recognise the experiences of the people seeking treatment.