I was reading an interesting article about lies we tell our doctors. There were things like how much you actually exercise, if you really are flossing on a regular basis and even about their sex life. But then I came across people lying to their doctors about how much alcohol they really consume. Doctors actually said that they usually double the amount that their patients tell them. It's important to be honest with your doctors because drinking alcohol can increase your chance of breast cancer, liver disease, brain damage and even a stroke. The article says that doctors really watch their patients who they think are lying because denial is part of having an addiction. Also people lie to their doctors about how much they are actually smoking. A doctor claims that some woman try and justify how much they smoke by saying things like "I don't inhale" or "I don't smoke it all the way down." Don't forget that smoking increases your chance of lung cancer, emphysema and even respiratory infections. I wasn't really surprised to find that so many people are lying to their doctors. I don't even like going to the doctor.. :)

Lol I have an uncle who drinks so much. He gets drunk about 5 days a week and its been this way since I was a kid. Once I went to the doctors office with him, I was about 10 and my mom needed someone to watch me. The doctor asked him a bunch of questions and drinking was one of them. He told the doctor he doesn't even touch alcohol its against his morals. I was 10 and I didn't know and I was like "no stupid you were drinking beer last night remember??" I guess I really embarassed him because I got a looong lecture on the way home about how I need to keep my mouth shut infront of adults. I think most people lie to their doctors.

It's good to know that the doctors are aware of their patient's habits of lying.  But I think it's best to be straight forward and tell the truth.  That way, if you want to order certain tests to see if the drinking or smoking is affecting you, then they'll be more likely to allow it. 

I dont see why people lie. The doctor is not going to think wrong of them and the most he'll probably do is just advise. The doctor cannot help you if you do not help him by giving him your accurate information. It's like asking a person to go buy you a pair of pants and you tell them your a size 2 when in reality your a size 6, there's not point in lying and your not going to benefit as much from the doctor by lying.