Charmaz talks about a patient’s ‘self image crumbling’, and that it can be a major problem without the development of a new one. The man in the lecture with chronic pain seemed to be describing a massive change in self image. He described 2 years of ‘wasting’ his time by trying to pursue the same activities that his former self would have pursued. He was self-critical and seemed to see himself as a failure, because he was judging his success/failure against what he would have been able to achieve in the past.
Eventually he said he took ‘a more open view’ and found an ‘equally rewarding life’. If we assume he is not just putting on a brave face, he has appropriately moved the goal posts and developed a new self-image.
In the seminar a few weeks ago we talked about loss of control regarding a new diagnosis, which could be worse with relapsing/remitting illnesses. I am surprised that the clips did not emphasis this aspect of RA. However, Charmaz mentioned that people with chronic diseases can restrict their own lives more than ‘necessary’ because they did not know how their illness is going to affect them.
On the flipside, there is a clip of a posh lady who says she has to ‘fight it all the time’ or she will seize up. Her description makes it seem like arthritis is an attacker waiting to strike if she is not vigilant. She personifies the idea of the British stiff upper lip, and she shows neither weakness nor emotion. This is in keeping with the cancer ‘fighters’, who try to regain the power and control in their battle with illness
