Sick pdH

[losingmyself]

I have a theory I need to throw out there.
My H is sick with RSV, which he got from me, I suppose. It knocked me off my socks and I'm still recovering 2 weeks into it. I took 2 days off from work, which I won't get paid for and didn't have time for.
Anyhoo...
He's sick, not as bad as me, but still. He WILL NOT take any kind of medicine that will help him feel better, and he absolutely will not take time off from work. This is stupid and irresponsible in my opinion. And, why??
I just reached my "Mom" end with pleading with him to go home, rest, take medicine, etc. I give up.
But I want to know why?? Do you think that he is trying to prove that he's stronger than everyone, and especially me because he handled being sick better than me?
When I ask him why he won't take cold medicine, he says it's because people abuse it and become addicted to it.  He showed me a video of teens drinking multiple bottles to get high, then overdosing.
"So, don't drink bottles of it.."
I'm baffled, but not going to worry about it any more. From now on when he tells me he feels poorly, he's getting "Oh."
It doesn't stop me from wanting to understand the psychology of it, though. Anyone have any theories?

[square]

I don't know. I don't like to take cold medicine myself. It makes me feel weird, worse than just the illness itself.

I think people can reasonably have differing approaches to medications.

[Poison Ivy]

I think of differences about taking medication as just that: differences. Going to work when one is sick with something that is likely contagious is, IMO, selfish and irresponsible.

[Srcyu]

My theory is - he can't be bothered to give in to it, hence the going to work. His fears over taking cold remedies could be very real. I find after taking these medications for a couple of days that my body says, 'enough.'
Sometimes keeping busy feels better than lying around dwelling on it.
I hope he's managing to eat though.

[losingmyself]

Thanks everyone for giving me a different point of view.
He's never had any side effects from cold medicine, he used to take it when he had a cold. But..his choice.
He's not eating, I found one symptom I had from being sick was a complete lack of appetite. Just couldn't do it. I lived off white toast for like 6 days. So, I understand that part of it.
The thing that was bothering me about it was his almost accusation that I am addicted to any kind of medicine I take. HE'S better than me, because at least HE'S not addicted to medicine.
Thanks for the replies though, I do appreciate them

[square]

Yeah, so weird how PDs can take the most normal behaviors, like taking cold medicine while sick, and turn it into some bizarre proof that there's something wrong with you.

You take the medicine. That's fine. He doesn't. That's fine. Nome of it means anything.

[Catothecat]

Does your H take other medications for other conditions?  I worked for physicians for over 20 years, and this distrustful attitude towards taking medication definitely exists.  In the most extreme example, one of our patients refused to take his medication then caused an accident killing both himself and an innocent woman.  But most of them just had an odd, stubborn refusal to accept the help that was being offered.  They would come in with a complaint then would come back with the same complaint after admitting that no, they weren't taking their prescribed medication because they "didn't want to." 

I think in some people it's a control issue.  They don't like the feeling that something has control over them, that they're dependent on that substance for their well-being.  Their egos can't allow it.  So they make false equivalencies in order to continue exerting that control.  I also wonder if some of them are deliberately prolonging the situation so they can exploit it.  It gives them attention. 

[losingmyself]

Yeah, Cat, he takes a lot of meds daily for a few different conditions. I would never ever assume he's addicted to anything because he really needs them to regulate blood sugar, high blood pressure, cholesterol, pain.
It occurred to me that maybe he's projecting because he feels like he might be addicted, or maybe he read that some of his meds might be addictive.  "I'm not addicted, you are!"  But I know that he needs them.
I understand that some people just don't want to take more pills, and that's ok.
I was just frustrated because I wanted him to feel better, and I couldn't do anything about it. It'll be fine....