Over the last few months, I have learned the importance of being your own advocate when it comes to healthcare. However, for many of us, it is hard to be our own advocates. Being away from home often makes it hard for college students to have someone close to them who can advocate for their health.
From mental to physical health, college students in America are not as healthy as they should be. Teens and young adults in particular often fall off the wagon when it comes to their health and do not make the time to go to the doctor until they are forced to due to pressing health issues.
A few months ago, a friend of mine went to the gym with me for a typical gym session. At one point during the workout, his leg began to shake uncontrollably. Not too long after this, he began to limp constantly. Several weeks went by, and the limp began to get slightly better but then got noticeably worse — to the point he could barely sleep at night. The issue worsened until around New Year’s, when his girlfriend finally convinced him to see a doctor.
He did not see a medical professional until he was persuaded to get the help he needed. However, the doctor ran an MRI and discovered that the issue was not a tear, giving him much-needed peace of mind. The doctor also instructed him on a proper pain management regimen.
The experience of going to the doctor can be unpleasant. When I had a medical issue a few weeks back, I had to go to two different urgent cares one day after the other just to find a doctor who would do the scans necessary to figure out what I had going on. With a health system where doctors often seem more worried about getting you out the door than getting to the root of your issues, paired with a college mentality that young people do not need to see a doctor, it is no wonder that college-age adults don’t go to the doctor like they did when they were younger.
Young people are becoming increasingly prone to serious medical issues. Colorectal cancer, which runs in my family, has been on the rise among young people over the last several decades, possibly due to poor diet choices and poor lifestyle choices, according to Yale Medicine. When I learned about some members of my family being diagnosed with cancer over the last few months, I began taking this as a sign to work harder to be an advocate for my health and not let issues linger that could become something more serious than they may first appear.
When I finally went to the doctor for the abdominal pain I had a few weeks ago, I did so because I was terrified that it was something more serious than it was, and those I told about the issue were alarmed at my symptoms. Though the problem I had was not overly serious, the doctor ran the tests necessary to get to the root cause of the issue and gave me peace of mind that it was not something more serious.
When away from home, students have a harder time being advocates for their own health and are prone to brushing off issues that may or may not be serious. When we do not go to the doctor, small issues may become more serious, or other unrelated but detectable issues may never be detected at all.
Growing up, it is easy to believe one is invincible. It was not until those around me began to have health issues that I realized I was not and began to take the time to examine my own health and seek out medical assistance when something was wrong.
We all need to be our own advocates. Do not let the warning signs or small but abnormal symptoms go by the wayside. There are many options for urgent care centers, hospitals and medical clinics in Tuscaloosa and on campus.
When something is wrong, say something to someone you trust to follow up with you to ensure that you get the medical assistance everyone needs. Family and friends can also be your advocate, but they need to know about your issues in order to help. Students must ensure that long-term health does not become a secondary priority.
