Making no decision is just the same as making a decision -- you've chosen the option of no treatment. It means you are defaulting to the status quo. It also may mean you're choosing "wait and see" as opposed to an immediate treatment. Whether you decide against having treatment, or whether you make no decision and do nothing, you will have to live with whatever your medical problem is.
Making no decision, or choosing no treatment may have one of three outcomes. Depending on the diagnosis, of course, some patients find their bodies heal on their own. For some, their medical problem will get worse. And for others, sadly it means that by choosing no treatment, they will eventually die.
An empowered patient is a decision-maker, even though it may be difficult. Further, an empowered patient is a collaborator, working in tandem with the professionals on her medical care team.
If you find yourself defaulting to no decision, then it's time to return to your doctor to discuss the options more completely and ask for some guidance on making the best decision for you. You may learn that there are risks or additional problems that might come from avoiding treatment (for example, patients who are in pain, and resisting drugs for that pain, may develop depression). You may also learn that delaying treatment for a short period of time won't be too problematic, giving you more time to make a final decision.
Knowledge is power. The more knowledge you gain, the more likely you will feel confident about your choices. An empowered patient stays as objective as possible through the decision-making process, while relying on those professionals with the needed information in order to make the right decisions for herself.
