Why do some people never go to the doctor?
Asked by: Henry DuBuque | Last update: November 21, 2025Score: 5/5 (69 votes)
Is it normal to not go to the doctor?
If you're young and healthy, it can be. Between age 20 and 40, some folks don't see a doctor at all. Women's health visits are necessary for many, and of course there are also folks in this age range with illnesses who need to see a doc regularly.
Why do people avoid going to the doctor?
People may delay visiting the doctor for various reasons, including: Fear and Anxiety: Concerns about receiving bad news or undergoing uncomfortable procedures can lead to avoidance. Cost and Insurance Issues: High medical costs or lack of insurance can deter individuals from seeking care.
What percentage of people don't go to the doctor?
In 2022, 38% of Americans said they or a family member skipped or delayed medical care, amid the highest rate of inflation in more than 40 years, according to an annual health care poll from Gallup.
Why are people afraid of going to the doctor?
Feeling nervous about going to the doctor is quite common and can stem from several factors: Fear of the Unknown: Uncertainty about what the doctor will say or what tests may be performed can lead to anxiety. Health Concerns: Worrying about potential diagnoses or health issues can create stress and nervousness.
Nothing but the truth: Why don't men go to the doctor?
Do some people never go to the doctor?
People often avoid seeking medical care even when they suspect it may be necessary;1–4 nearly one-third of respondents in a recent national United States (U.S.) survey reported avoiding the doctor.
What is tomophobia?
Tomophobia is an irrational fear of surgery. Mental health professionals diagnose it as a specific phobia, which is a type of anxiety that has a specific trigger. Tomophobia can lead to excessive distress before surgical procedures and might cause people to avoid treatment altogether.
How long can you go without seeing a doctor?
In general, you should see a primary care doctor at least once a year for a general checkup and blood work. Chronic conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, require more frequent checkups.
How often does the average person go to the doctor?
How Often Americans See a Doctor. The average American visits his or her doctor four times per year. On average, babies visit the doctor nine times per year and children between the ages of 5 and 15 visit the doctor two times per year.
Why do some people neglect their health?
Many people who avoid medical care suffer anxiety, fear of death, and fear of being diagnosed with a life-altering condition, among other things. These fears are pervasive and debilitating and cause mental and emotional anguish as people struggle to reconcile fears of being ill with fears of seeking treatment.
What is it called when you don't like going to the doctor?
Iatrophobia causes you to fear doctors or medical tests. You may avoid seeking medical care even when you're very sick because you have extreme anxiety or panic attacks.
Why do I dread going to the doctor?
There can be many reasons a person has a fear of doctors. It could be fear of certain medical procedures, the pain of certain procedures, an anticipated diagnosis, fear that developed due to a bad experience with a certain doctor or during a prior visit to a doctor.
Why do Americans not go to the doctor?
And 40% of U.S. adults say the financial burden of care has led them to delay going to the doctor or just not go at all. We ask people around the country to tell us about the barriers they encounter when they try to go to the doctor for preventative care and primary care services.
Why is it so hard to see your doctor?
The U.S. is facing a physician shortage, in primary care and many specialties, which can lead to longer wait times for patients and reduced access to care.
What are the risks of not going to the doctor?
One of the biggest dangers of putting off doctor visits is that small problems can become big ones. By the time you finally go to see a doctor, the problem may have progressed beyond what's treatable with medication or surgery. In some cases, it may even be too late to save the patient's life.
Do you really need to see a doctor?
Multiple studies have shown that seeing a regular doctor can improve your quality of life but also increase the length of your life. A visit with a primary care doctor is important for the following reasons: Proper screening for diseases and preventative measures can be life saving.
What age group visits the doctor the most?
They found that adolescents aged 13 to 18 years averaged 1.9 visits per year, lower than any other age-group except those aged 19 to 24 years (eg, those aged 25 to 64 years averaged 3.1, and those aged 65 years and older averaged 6.1).
Do doctors live longer than average?
Doctors live longer than the general population, but there is variation among medical specialties. Perhaps it is not surprising to learn that, on average, doctors live longer than the general population.
What percent of Americans go to the doctor?
Overall, only 48 percent of insured respondents have gone to a physician for a physical exam within the past year.
How long is unacceptable to wait for a doctor?
I think it's reasonable if you have to wait around 30 minutes. But if you don't have this kind of flexibility in your day, call the office a couple of hours before leaving your home or work for your appointment and ask whether the doctor is running on time.
Is it normal to not want to go to the doctor?
Having a fear of going to the doctor is fairly common, as most people have a bit of health anxiety. “A lot of people have a fear of needles, so they might avoid going to the doctor because they don't want to get a shot,” says Taylor Newendorp, MA, LCPC, Network Clinical Director at NOCD.
What happens if you don't take care of your health?
Poor health interferes with daily living: Health challenges also affect other areas of your life. Health problems can make daily tasks more challenging, create financial stress, and even jeopardize your ability to earn a living.
Is Frigophobia real?
Frigophobia is a phobia pertaining to the pathological concern of hypothermia. Frigophobia is a psychiatric condition that appears mainly in the Chinese culture. Sufferers of this affliction compulsively bundle up in heavy clothes and blankets, regardless of the ambient air temperature.
Why am I scared of going to the doctor?
Some people fear going to the doctor and will delay important annual checkups, screenings and immunizations. Reasons vary from fear of a painful procedure to anxiety about a bad diagnosis, to mistrust of medical professionals and self-consciousness about being examined.
What is athazagoraphobia?
Athazagoraphobia is an intense fear of being forgotten or forgetting something. This condition may be highly disruptive to the lives of the affected individuals since they often feel overly pressured and anxious that they may disappear or be abandoned by people they cherish.