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- Oct 25, 2004
- Messages
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I don't know if I simply lack empathy, but people with common viral/bacterial infections really get on my nerves.
The expected response to somebody suffering from an infection is "Aw shame, I'm sorry you're not well."
Edit: The above has been pinpointed as a source of great unrest and ensuing angry comments. I'll try again. While not all factors relating to an individual's capacity to fight disease are controllable, many of them are. I know far too many people who assign responsibility for their fighting off common illness to an external or unknowable source. People can very easily affect how often they get sick; through lessening their exposure with good hygiene, and supporting their immune system effectively with tons of sleep and good food. It is specifically the people who externalize all of the above responsibility whom I take issue with.
Not only has the careless sick person neglected to support their own body or address their own ailment correctly, but they're now inconveniencing me with exposure to their pathogens; I must spend additional resources and sleep on removing these pathogens.
Then comes the inevitable "but I'm going to the doctor later" - to which I can only muster a solemn "mhm.." in reply.
I have no idea how GP's keep prescribing antibiotics with a straight face. Standard antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections, not the viruses which are the cause of the majority of common infections. And yet every year come flu-season I see a swarm of colleagues going to the doctor to scoop up their 'required' dose.
Not only do antibiotics do nothing for their viral infection, but it also increases their antibiotic resistance, and more crucially means that they will believe they're "getting better" without actually doing the one thing their body needs them to do for optimal recovery, that is to sleep!
Sick people are the worst. Rant end!
How do you guys handle them?
P.S. I do get sick every couple of years. I typically quarantine myself and see nobody for 3 days instead of spreading it around to those I work with or care about.
Note that in all of the above I am referring specifically to common strains of sickness that are usually called cold/flu, and people with said strains that do not take appropriate care of themselves. Of course none of the above can possibly apply to people with chronic disease, genetic disorders, or autoimmune issues. I'm talking preventable common sicknesses.
The expected response to somebody suffering from an infection is "Aw shame, I'm sorry you're not well."
Edit: The above has been pinpointed as a source of great unrest and ensuing angry comments. I'll try again. While not all factors relating to an individual's capacity to fight disease are controllable, many of them are. I know far too many people who assign responsibility for their fighting off common illness to an external or unknowable source. People can very easily affect how often they get sick; through lessening their exposure with good hygiene, and supporting their immune system effectively with tons of sleep and good food. It is specifically the people who externalize all of the above responsibility whom I take issue with.
Not only has the careless sick person neglected to support their own body or address their own ailment correctly, but they're now inconveniencing me with exposure to their pathogens; I must spend additional resources and sleep on removing these pathogens.
Then comes the inevitable "but I'm going to the doctor later" - to which I can only muster a solemn "mhm.." in reply.
I have no idea how GP's keep prescribing antibiotics with a straight face. Standard antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections, not the viruses which are the cause of the majority of common infections. And yet every year come flu-season I see a swarm of colleagues going to the doctor to scoop up their 'required' dose.
Not only do antibiotics do nothing for their viral infection, but it also increases their antibiotic resistance, and more crucially means that they will believe they're "getting better" without actually doing the one thing their body needs them to do for optimal recovery, that is to sleep!
Sick people are the worst. Rant end!
How do you guys handle them?
P.S. I do get sick every couple of years. I typically quarantine myself and see nobody for 3 days instead of spreading it around to those I work with or care about.
Note that in all of the above I am referring specifically to common strains of sickness that are usually called cold/flu, and people with said strains that do not take appropriate care of themselves. Of course none of the above can possibly apply to people with chronic disease, genetic disorders, or autoimmune issues. I'm talking preventable common sicknesses.
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