Why Some People Keep Serious Illnesses Private
While the U.S. defense secretary, Lloyd J. Austin III, is under scrutiny for keeping his prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment private, experts interviewed by The New York Times share why some people choose to do this. CAPC's Andrew Esch, MD, MBA, who was interviewed for the piece says, “I see it with my patients all the time. It’s very human to not want to have yourself sort of flayed open for the world to see.”
Common reasons include maintaining privacy, being able to control things that are otherwise uncontrollable (e.g., compartmentalizing), feeling vulnerable, cultural and generational norms, and more.