Couples Coping With the Serious Illness of One of the Partners

Abstract

Chronic kidney failure is a serious somatic disease. Addressing the issue of living with a chronic disease means fully considering the patients’ entourage, their families, and those close to them, especially their children and spouses.Objectives: The present paper focuses on the couple’s psychological experience when one of them suffers from a chronic disease, in this instance kidney disease. In particular, how is the spouse affected by the treatment provided? The aim is not only to see how care for sick people can be improved, but also, more specifically, how relatives and especially partners can receive attention.Methodology: A qualitative approach is not only adopted, being based on the psychotherapeutic follow-up of the partners of patients with chronic kidney disease, but also of the patients themselves, addressing the matter of their life as a couple. Three couples were considered, and two case studies are presented here. The issues that cut across these different situations are examined.Results and Discussion: Some couples show considerable resourcefulness. However, over the years, that capacity for adaptation and inventiveness can also be interrupted by the periods of greater suffering and even despair, especially when the somatic pathology becomes chronic. Many spouses talk about how living with a sick partner weighs down on them, causing severe fatigue. Some aspects of the illness can also become traumatic. The disease regularly disrupts the daily life of the couple and the family. This leads to a reworking of family relations. Each couple has its own history with the condition. As it emerges, it can disrupt the bonds of filiation, especially when the illness is hereditary. Making psychological care more accessible to the partners involved constitutes a major challenge for our hospital care systems.

Coping trajectory of social isolation in individuals with maintenance haemodialysis: A descriptive qualitative study

“…Substantial evidence suggests that the quality of intimate relationships affects the mental health of partners ( Baucom et al, 2012 ). However, illness can disrupt the daily lives of couples and families, leading to significant burdens and suffering for partners ( Riazuelo, 2021 ). Findings from a multicentre longitudinal study ( Moore et al, 2020 ) reveal that while participants reported improved quality of life after starting dialysis, partners experienced worsened quality of life initially, showing improvement after 12 weeks.…”

Lived Experiences of Chronic Kidney Disease Patients Undergoing Dialysis Treatment: A Preliminary Study

“…The patients in this study expressed their dependence on their family's assistance, particularly in terms of physical mobility and fulfilling their daily responsibilities, including religious obligations and household tasks. Numerous studies have highlighted the significance of family social support in the daily routines of chronically ill patients, irrespective of their specific condition Tedesse et al, 2020;Ng et al, 2020;Darwish et al, 2020;Riazuelo, 2021). Because of their health issues, especially the lack of physical strength, they must adapt their ibadah style according to the guidelines provided by Islam, which accommodate the ease and capabilities of patients known as rukhsah (Arif et al, 2014;Yusop, et al, 2023).…”

Anxiety Levels, Cortisol, Blood Gluc Ose and Sodium Levels in Working Wives: Comparison Between Husbands Who Were Hospitalized and Husbands Who Were Not Hospitalized

“…However, other research subjects showed great adaptability even though their partners were seriously ill and being treated. Consultation and support provided by people around them, makes it easier for someone to overcome anxiety 20 . Adaptive behavior, perception, cognition, motivation synchronized from cortical and subcortical neural networks are modulated by the role of the amygdala 15 .…”