Unbearable incidents: failure to endure the experience of illness

Abstract

Inherent in the illness experience are multiple assaults on one's self and one's body. These assaults may be interpersonal (such as an unwitting remark made from another), or intrapersonal (such as unrelenting symptoms that are a part of illness, injury or treatments). These assaults may accumulate until the situation becomes unbearable, the person can no longer 'take it', and the person loses control. In this paper, the authors examine the circumstances that resulted in the breakdown of endurance, and noted that while some of the factors remained unbearable, others are managed. The authors suggest that the patient's response, that is 'loosing it', may be beneficial. 'Losing it' is a means of ensuring changes in care for a patient, or aids in the relinquishment of unrealistic expectations of one's self and one's future. In all instances, however, the patient's plan of care should be carefully examined and, if necessary, modified.