The lived experience of feeling sad

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Psychology
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Understanding the subjective experience of sadness is crucial for mental health.
• Grief and loss, particularly pet loss, significantly impact emotional well-being in older adults.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and describe the structure of the lived experience of feeling sad.
• To enhance comprehension of the emotional and psychological dimensions of sadness.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Parse's phenomenological-hermeneutic research method.
• Conducted dialogical engagement with 7 elder participants who experienced pet loss.
• Employed qualitative data collection to capture rich, lived experiences.

Main Results:

• Identified the core structure of feeling sad as 'penetrating anguish surfacing with contemplating absent-yet present intimacies, while prevailing amid misfortune.'
• Highlighted the complex interplay of loss, memory, and emotional pain in the experience of sadness.
• Provided a detailed description of the subjective experience of sadness in the context of bereavement.

Conclusions:

• The findings offer a profound insight into the lived experience of sadness, particularly in the context of elder pet loss.
• Results can inform nursing practice by enhancing empathy and providing a framework for supporting grieving individuals.
• Suggests avenues for future nursing research on emotional experiences and human-becoming principles.