How telling stories helps patients to recover psychologically after intensive care

Studies have shown both the risk of post traumatic stress following intensive care unit treatment, and the helpfulness of telling trauma stories for psychological recovery.

This article is based on recent doctoral research exploring the impact of unexpected life threatening events after admission to hospital.

The original research used a qualitative design blending discourse, narrative and phenomenological approaches, guided by sensitivity to participants' evolving work of pulling stories together. Patients chosen from ICU discharge summaries showing a critical life threatening event after admission gave unstructured interviews soon after discharge from hospital and a year later.

This article focuses on one particular finding, showing that critical illness can make it difficult for patients to construct personal stories of their experience. Limited evidence suggested overcoming those difficulties meant they had an improved sense of wellbeing a year after discharge.

Stories are an essential way in which humans make sense of their experience, which is crucial both for responding appropriately and for personal wellbeing following traumatic life events. Therefore, difficulties in "storying" significant experience can have a negative impact on wellbeing.

Some patients need help piecing together stories of their critical illness experience.