by Stephanie Schwartz, M.S.
A visit to the doctor is not a particularly enjoyable experience. As a kid, I remember going to two doctors appointment each year – the pediatrician and the dentist. Now as a young adult, the number of doctors has grown. The optometrist, the podiatrist, the physiatrist, the list goes on (and I’m sure will continue to grow as I age). What’s notable is that what I dread most about going to the doctor isn’t the actual appointment, it’s the wait time to be seen by the doctor! One doctor in particular that I have gone to for several years has consistently had a wait-time of over an hour at each of my appointments. And yet, each time I go there I find myself expecting that this will be different, with demanding beliefs such as, “they should be on time,” which ends up making me feel angry. My knowledge of REBT theory has allowed me to realize I am demanding something that logically does not have to be. Replacing my demanding belief with, “I would strongly prefer and appreciate if my appointment time was kept, but there is no reason that it must be,” would certainly help me to feel annoyed rather than angry. In addition, keeping in mind that this wait time has occurred the last 15 times I’ve been there, a few practical solutions may help to pass the time and limit how much the appointment interferes with the rest of my day’s activities (i.e., bring a book, leave additional time in my schedule, etc.). Recognizing my irrational belief, rehearsing a rational belief instead, and planning for the additional wait time, will allow me to refrain from disturbing myself about my “doctor’s office waiting woes.”
