When people consult their GP they often arrive with a clearly defined medical problem—a pain, a lump, breathlessness, a rash—and what they’re asking for is a diagnosis, treatment, and, if necessary, a referral. However, the solution to a problem isn’t always obvious or simple: a patient may present with back pain and insomnia, but further discussion may reveal relationship problems, stresses at work, or self-medication with alcohol in an attempt to deal with isolation and low mood. When patients come asking for help because they can no longer cope alone, it’s not easy to disentangle …

中文翻译：

---

海伦·索尔兹伯里：抵制提供建议的诱惑


当人们咨询全科医生时，他们常常带着明确的医疗问题——疼痛、肿块、呼吸困难、皮疹——而他们要求的是诊断、治疗，以及必要时的转诊。然而，问题的解决方案并不总是显而易见或简单的：患者可能会出现背痛和失眠，但进一步的讨论可能会揭示人际关系问题、工作压力或自我饮酒以试图应对孤立的问题和情绪低落。当病人因为无法再独自应对而前来寻求帮助时，摆脱困境并不容易……