Health literacy in Procrastination Journal

My dad is stressed because he’s been sexually harassing his exgirlfriend at work and she told on him

And I called him today to ask him to check my passport and then I asked about Coco, and he goes:

Dad: “I just got home. I had to go to the doctor.”
Me: “What doctor? What for?”
D: “Dr. White. I had to go because I was stressed about what’s happening.”
Me: internally wtfing
D: “he gave me Zantac so I could sleep.”
Me: “Zantac. He gave you Zantac for sleep?”
D: “Zan. Tac.”
Me: “are you sure it wasn’t Xanax?”
D: “oh yeah, Zanacks.”
Me: “he gave you Xanax because you said you were stressed?” (Look at me, big fancy 1.5 months away from MD questioning an actual doctor’s clinical decision making)
D: “yes, for a week”
Me: “oooh, okay.” Phew.
At least he knew he wasn’t supposed to take it with alcohol. But I did tell him not to take it in the morning, to take it at night so he knows how it affects him first. Idk why he told him to take it in the morning.

How does my dad know what Zantac is? Do they still have commercials for that? Dafuq.

But my dad is the one you could give a heartburn medicine to, for stress.

Anyway, Mr. “Snap Out if It” is on a benzo. Whodathunkit?

P.S. benzos are a miracle but I would never prescribe them unless I was a psychiatrist/neurologist, my aunt’s takes them every day and is always tired, like wtf maybe take your actual SSRI so you won’t get dependent on fucking benzos. Like she has 4 bottles full of her SSRI, please don’t talk to me about how your anxiety is still not under control. Or how your nose is always stuffy, could it be a brain tumor? miss “I have Flonase and a sinus rinse but never use it” or “I don’t take my blood pressure medicine consistently” or “I’m going to go totally blind from bacterial keratitis because I sleep in my contacts and put them in my mouth too.” Or “I don’t believe in the flu shot/I’m scared I will die from shingles because ______ has shingles.” Or, “my arm hurts, must be arm cancer and no way could it possibly be from me sleeping on my arm on the couch when my daughter bought me a new mattress”

Dad: “I’m only going to be around for 50 more years.” He’s 62. i’m not even going to live for 50 more years ffs. (Yeah, he was joking. Maybe.). Thinks he’s invincible and dismissed my anxiety and depression but now is going to take a benzo because he couldn’t figure out how to leave someone alone.

Aunt: has illness anxiety (hypochondriac) but is cavalier about taking her medications for the conditions she actually DOES have.

And that is why getting my family together is one of the biggest challenge I will face as a doctor.

That, and getting my sister and cousin on LARCs.