family cooperation

Do ~

• Remember the term hypochondriac is widely used by physicians who do not understand environmental illness or who cannot make a textbook diagnosis.
• Educate yourself along with the patient, so you will understand the philosophy of the illness and how to cope with it.
• Remember that most environmentally ill patients have wasted time and money, suffered pain and discouragement, going from "specialist" to "specialist" who could not help them.
• Learn to recognize the objective symptoms of the patient, so you can help them pinpoint and avoid things that make them ill.
• Demonstrate your willingness to cooperate so the patient will do likewise.  Remember, negative feedback from the family can be more detrimental to the patient than any other stress.
  
• Understand that the patient desperately needs your help and support. 

Don't ~

• Prejudge the patient's condition or label them a hypochondriac.
• Try to dissuade the patient from seeking alternate treatments.
• Try to convince the patient to do something that will make him or her ill.