Understanding Illness: Types, Phases, and Reactions
The Nature of Illness
The lack of health may cause a certain level of dependency. A human being is multidimensional, encompassing biological aspects (physical structure), physical processes (emotions, feelings), and social aspects (relationships, social settings).
Disease is a deviation from the state of health with objective and subjective manifestations, which diminishes a person’s ability to carry out daily life activities. It can manifest in various ways depending on the disease (severe, infectious, disabling, etc.) and the individual’s characteristics (age, coping mechanisms, social environment, etc.).
Types of Illnesses:
- Patients with acute illnesses
- Patients with chronic diseases
- Patients with terminal illnesses
Phases of a Disease
From the evolution and treatment perspective, the stages of a disease are:
- Manifestations of the first indications
- Development of symptoms
- Diagnosis
- Application of therapy or treatment
- Outcome (Cure, Chronicity, or Death)
Reactions to Illness
Each person experiences illness uniquely, influenced by various factors:
- Type of disease: Acute or chronic, painful, disabling, progressive, etc.
- Past experience: Personal or familial experience with similar illnesses
- Impact on daily life: Extent of disruption to daily activities
- Societal perceptions of the disease: Stigma and social acceptance
- Personality characteristics: Coping mechanisms and adaptability
- Beliefs and values: Religious beliefs and perspectives on death
- Age and sex: Differences in experience based on age and gender
- Available resources: Family support, economic resources, access to care
Each person experiences illness in a particular way based on their circumstances.
Defense Mechanisms in Severe Illness
When a disorder is long-lasting, reactions like anger, aggression, frustration, anguish, and anxiety may appear. Common defense mechanisms include:
- Denial: Acting as if the illness doesn’t exist
- Manic Defense: Behaving overly happy and detached from the situation
- Repression: Acknowledging the illness but denying negative emotions
- Regression: Adopting childlike behaviors
- Rationalization: Finding logical reasons to justify the illness
- Projection: Attributing one’s feelings or thoughts to others
Acute Illness
An acute illness is a health problem that can be resolved relatively quickly with treatment or surgical intervention.
Types of Acute Illness Care:
- Ambulatory Patients: Treated in a health center without hospitalization
- Inpatient: Require hospitalization for surgical or other interventions
Convalescence:
Convalescence is the period between the end of an illness and complete recovery. Its duration depends on factors like severity, surgical intervention, bed rest, care received, age, physical condition, and mood.
Types of Convalescence:
- Convalescence in bed: Requires prolonged bed rest and can lead to inactivity or anxiety
- Convalescence at home: Faster recovery with proper care and adherence to medical instructions
Chronic Illness
A chronic illness is a long-term condition that affects a person’s life for years or even a lifetime. Examples include diabetes, cancer, AIDS, kidney disease, and respiratory illnesses.
Treatment Goals:
- Treat and cure the disease and its effects, if possible
- Prevent disease progression
- Improve quality of life
Consequences of Chronic Illness:
Chronic illness can lead to increased dependency, especially in older adults. This can result in loss of function, psychological problems (depression, anxiety, insomnia), and fear of becoming a burden or socially isolated.
Terminal Illness
A terminal patient has a diagnosis with a limited life expectancy.
Characteristics of Terminal Illness:
- Presence of multiple, intense symptoms
- Advanced, incurable, and progressive disease
- Significant emotional impact on the patient, family, and healthcare team
- Awareness of approaching death
Terminal Patient Care (Palliative Care):
Focuses on easing pain and suffering and providing the best possible quality of life. Aims for a dignified and painless death.
Grief and Mourning
Grief is the set of responses that appear after the loss of a loved one.
Normal Grief:
A natural and necessary process with physical, emotional, and cognitive manifestations. Typically lasts 6 months to 2 years.
Pathological Mourning:
Abnormal intensity or duration of grief, including chronic grief, exaggerated grief, and absent grief.
Factors Affecting Grief:
- Characteristics of the deceased
- Circumstances of the loss
- Psychosocial aspects of the grieving person
Principles of Supporting the Grieving:
- Encourage acceptance of the loss
- Facilitate expression of feelings and emotions
- Acknowledge the difficulty of coping with death
- Encourage discussion of the circumstances of the death
- Support a return to normalcy
The Helping Relationship
Effective support for the ill involves empathy, authenticity, and acceptance.
- Empathy: Understanding the emotions and experiences of others
- Authenticity: Being genuine and honest in interactions
- Acceptance: Accepting the person unconditionally without judgment
Burnout Syndrome
Burnout is a state of emotional and physical exhaustion resulting from prolonged professional stress.
Prevention Strategies:
- Set realistic goals
- Establish boundaries between personal and professional life
- Explore and manage emotions
- Learn relaxation techniques and problem-solving strategies
- Engage in physical exercise
- Seek support and share experiences