The Mighty Logo

The most helpful emails in health
Browse our free newsletters

The Mighty community shares things they’ve seen on TV and in movies that don’t typically happen to patients in real life.

Transcription:

THINGS THAT ONLY HAPPEN TO CHRONICALLY ILL PATIENTS ON TV

  1. Patients can always stay in the hospital until they get a diagnosis.

“Patients in ‘House’ just stay in the hospital until they find out what’s wrong with them.”

“That’s not how it’s worked for anyone I’ve ever met.”

  1. According to commercials, you become perfectly healthy after taking [insert medication].

“I should be happy and riding carnivals rides when in reality for me it’s hard to walk to the kitchen and make coffee.”

  1. Patients with narcolepsy always fall asleep instantly, wherever they are.

“In the movie ‘Rat Race.’ The character standing there asleep for hours on end?”

“No way. His legs would’ve collapsed.”

  1. Shocking a flat-lined (asystole) heart will get it started again.

“Shocking can ‘reprogram’ an arrhythmia back into a sinus rhythm, but it can’t reintroduce electrical activity into a heart that has none!”

  1. Doctors provide every type of care to their patients.

“Most patients when in the hospital see their doc once a day for rounds and then maybe an intern or a resident after that.”

Media portrayals matter.

We should use them to improve our understanding of chronic illnesses —

Not reduce the experiences of people who live with them.

Originally published: December 3, 2017
Want more of The Mighty?
You can find even more stories on our Home page. There, you’ll also find thoughts and questions by our community.
Take Me Home