Appointments shouldn't incite fear — but they could.
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| | | | | I was born with a congenital heart disease and had heart surgery when I was 3 days old (I think I've mentioned that in a previous newsletter, but if you're new here, now you know!). Luckily, I don't remember the procedure. But every year, I have to see a cardiologist to make sure everything still looks OK. Well, I'm supposed to anyway. | | In most other medical situations, I'm totally fine. Need to get blood drawn? I have a big, juicy vein in my right arm. Yearly full-body skin check? I have no problem stripping down for my dermatologist to take a look. But I'm scared to make an appointment with my cardiologist. | | I get along really well with my doctor; however, the fear lies in the "what if." Nobody likes to receive bad news. The mere thought that she could discover something that requires another surgery or forces me to change my entire lifestyle kind of terrifies me. | | I know that mindset is ridiculous — it's always better to catch and treat a health issue early. This way of thinking is why it's been 3, maybe 4, years since my last checkup. I'm sure some of you can understand my hesitation, right? | | I want to get over this mentality. And what better time to address it than on Health Empowerment Day, which is tomorrow, September 9? This new annual awareness day, created by our friends at Healthgrades, is meant to inspire people like me to feel more in control of their healthcare journey. Good timing! | | Below, I'll share some ideas to try and deal with this anxiety. If you have any words of encouragement for me, please reach out! I could use any and all support to push me to take this vital step to maintain my health. | | | | | | | May this newsletter boost your confidence to see a doctor soon!
Kenny Thapoung
Managing Newsletter Editor, Healthline |  | | Written by Kenny Thapoung
September 8, 2025 • 5 min read | | | | | | | |
| |  | | | | It's normal to feel anxious about visiting the doctor | | Doctor appointments are rarely (if ever) considered "fun," no matter how many Dum-Dum lollipops the receptionist allows you to take afterward. And for obvious reasons, they're an important necessity for everyone. Still, it's totally fair to worry about what could happen — or what you may find out — not to mention other possible stressors such as insurance, schedules, and needles. | | If any of this resonates, I get where you're coming from. But we — you and I — can try a few tactics to make the experience a little less anxiety-inducing (fingers crossed). | - Take someone with you: One time, I had a panic attack in the middle of an MRI scan. I demanded that the technicians stop and let me out of the machine. I immediately called my mom who lives in another state, and I wish I had someone waiting for me at the lab. They could've let me cry into their shoulder or taken me out to distract me from what happened. They might've even been able to calm me down enough to try again.
- Be honest about your anxiety with your care team: Yes, this includes your doctor and perhaps also the receptionist checking you in or the nurse taking your vitals. After the MRI incident, I told my doctor that if I ever needed to get another one, I wanted some medication to ease my nerves. And something stronger than the usual pre-appointment meditation. If you've ever had to remain still and hold your breath for short periods of time during a 45-minute-long MRI, I'm sure you get where I'm coming from.
- Reframe your thoughts: Instead of thinking, "oh no, what are they going to find," try to think about the next steps if something does come up. I'm someone who finds comfort in knowing what action to take to solve a problem — it makes me feel more in control. This is definitely easier said in theory!
- Look for a different doctor: Finding a doctor you feel comfortable being open with is sort of like dating. It can take time to build that relationship. And after a few appointments, you may find that you're not an ideal match. Don't feel guilty searching for someone else. Again, I really do enjoy my cardiologist as a physician and person, but I've had other doctors I stopped seeing because of the way they spoke to and treated me.
| | I doubt that any of these tips will completely squash your feelings, and honestly, mine neither. But I'm willing to bite the bullet and go see my current cardiologist again. Because in the end, I owe it to my family, friends, and myself to do everything I can to stay healthy for years to come. See you soon, Dr. Weinberg. | | | | *If you have anything you'd like to share about addressing fears and anxiety about doctor appointments, reach out to me at wellnesswire@healthline.com. Your words mean a lot to me, and I look forward to hearing what you think. | | | | | | |  | | | Embrace Health Empowerment Day | | As I mentioned earlier, September 9 is Healthgrades' Health Empowerment Day. Millions of people are managing their well-being without the resources or confidence they need to make thoughtful decisions. You deserve to feel heard and understood, and that starts with finding the right doctor — someone who treats you like an individual person, not just another patient. | | With a Healthgrades account, you can compare doctors side-by-side to see who matches what you're looking for the most. You'll also be able to manage your appointments, prescriptions and more in one convenient place. Learn more about creating your free account below. | | | | | | | |   | | | | | | | | Until next time, |  | Take care of yourself, and we'll see
you again soon! | | |  | | |  | | This edition was powered by | | honesty. | | | | | | | | View in browser
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