Probing and Reasoning with Psychologists

I was at the hospital yesterday for a scheduled checkup. Prior to that, I’d been there soaked in pangs a week ago as I’d caught an infection. While there, I was made to undergo a few laboratory tests, take scores of injections and given medications to take home amidst the physician’s directions and cautions.

"You’d be done taken your meds by the following week," he said.

"Please do well to return on the day you’re done so we rerun the tests to ascertain whether you’re still infected or not".

I nodded.

Early Friday morning, I took my last pill. I was done with the medication. Fascinatingly, I never skipped nor was late. I followed the physician’s orders and executed everything.

So here I was yesterday back at the hospital to get tested again and get things finalised. With all protocols observed, it finally reached my turn to visit the consultation room. I entered, exchanged pleasantries with the physician and sat to attend to his questions.

"Yes Mohammed Toffick, what brings you here?"

I informed him all about the infection and how I was to return In a week’s time when I — supposedly — should be done taking my meds. He was impressed. He showered praises on me for my compliance and mentioned how by so doing I’m making their work easy. I was in awe but caught myself questioning why I should be praised for taking my medication. I’m wary of praises, especially if they come across as superficial.

In that instance I remembered reading from Jordan Peterson’s Twelve Rules for Life that psychologists blame physicians for the failure of patients to take their medication.

So I was wondering why I, instead of the physician, am being praised for this success. It’s unmeritted, I thought. If he is to be blamed for a lapse in my compliance, he should then be given full credit for the presence of absolute compliance.

Reevaluating everything, I find it difficult reconciling between Peterson’s take on responsibility and how he seems to dogmatically follow the psychologists in levelling such blames without questioning the patient’s responsibility towards their own self.

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