--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a patient tells a doctor that every…" description: "\"When a patient tells a doctor that every symptom is the most horrible ever - and the physical exam and labs are normal - we often suspect something psy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6c/danielle-ofri-26196_anxiety_when-a-patient-tells-a-doctor-that-every_2870272.jpg" --- # When a patient tells a doctor that every symptom is the… ![“When a patient tells a doctor that every symptom is the most horrible ever - and the physical exam and labs are normal - we often suspect something psychological is going on. The symptoms aren't fake. They're physical manifestations of anxiety, depression, and stress. So while I'm always on the…” quote by Danielle Ofri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6c/danielle-ofri-26196_anxiety_when-a-patient-tells-a-doctor-that-every_2870272.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6c/danielle-ofri-26196_anxiety_when-a-patient-tells-a-doctor-that-every_2870272.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6c/danielle-ofri-26196_anxiety_when-a-patient-tells-a-doctor-that-every_2870272.jpg) > “When a patient tells a doctor that every symptom is the most horrible ever - and the physical exam and labs are normal - we often suspect something psychological is going on. The symptoms aren't fake. They're physical manifestations of anxiety, depression, and stress. So while I'm always on the lookout for a serious underlying disease.” [Danielle Ofri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-ofri/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Physicians must recognize that severe symptoms can stem from mental health, not just physical disease, and treat them seriously. **In simple terms:** Doctors should see anxiety and stress as real causes of physical symptoms. Key Takeaway Treat psychological causes with care. Themes healthcare mental health diagnosis patient empathy Mood empathetic analytical Type clinical educational When to use this quote - clinical assessment - patient communication - stress management - education Key Concepts Psychosomatic illness mind-body connection clinical vigilance Questions to Reflect On - How can doctors balance physical and mental assessments? - What training improves recognizing psychosomatic symptoms? A Different Perspective May risk overlooking rare physical conditions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Anxiety depression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety-depression/) [Exam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exam/) [Manifestation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manifestation/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [Psychological](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychological/) [Stress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stress/) ## Related quotes > [“It is chilling to know that some accepted ways of being with children can leave them vulnerable to suffering from anxiety, depression, or rage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-taylor/it-is-chilling-to-know-that-some-accepted-ways-of-being-with-children/) [Natalie Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-taylor/) > [For people who deal with anxiety or depression or can't be in large social groups cognitively, emotionally, or even physically, phones help bridge the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-h-k-choi/for-people-who-deal-with-anxiety-or-depression-or-can-t-be-in-large/) [Mary H.K. 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In Jesus you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-dignan/notice-that-the-only-place-you-will-find-peace-is-in-surrendering/) Ken Dignan > [If you are at peace, you are living in the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/if-you-are-at-peace-you-are-living-in-the-present/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Comment if: you have an eating disorder, anxiety, depression, attempted suicide, you cut your wrists, a disorder, or you feel alone. 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Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-ofri/doctors-are-taught-in-medical-school-that-people-ususally-underreport/) [Danielle Ofri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-ofri/) > [“Suddenly, I was plunged back into an avid learning environment, starting at the bottom and working my way painstakingly up the mountain. 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Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When a patient tells a doctor that every symptom is the most horrible ever - and the physical exam and labs are normal - we often suspect something psychological is going on. 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