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Emotional adjustment to a chronic illness
Lippincott'S Primary Care Practice
|February 6, 1998
Summary
Coping with chronic illness involves significant emotional challenges, often exceeding physical symptoms. Understanding factors like personality, past grief, and life changes aids in navigating the adjustment process and acceptance.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Health Psychology
- Chronic Illness Management
Background:
- Emotional responses to chronic illness diagnosis can be more challenging than physical symptoms.
- Adjustment to chronic illness involves complex psychological and familial factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify determinants of emotional reactions to chronic illness diagnosis.
- To explore the grief process, acceptance stages, and their impact on adjustment.
Main Methods:
- This article presents a descriptive and explanatory analysis.
- It synthesizes existing knowledge on psychological, familial, and life-event factors.
Main Results:
- Key determinants include pre-illness personality, past unresolved emotions, lifestyle changes, coping resources, life cycle stage, prior crisis experience, and family codependency.
- The grief process involves distinct stages with benefits and pitfalls, leading to acceptance.
Conclusions:
- Navigating the emotional impact of chronic illness requires addressing psychological determinants and engaging in a grief process.
- Successful adjustment involves embracing a new identity shaped by the illness, facilitated by understanding and support.