Experiencing Community: Perspectives of Individuals Diagnosed as Having Serious Mental Illness

Bromley, Elizabeth; Gabrielian, Sonya; Brekke, Benjamin; Pahwa, Rohini; Daly, Kathleen A.; Brekke, John S.; Braslow, Joel T.

doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201200235

Cited by 57 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 47 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…The women in this study living with “illness of the brain” experienced stigma. This is in keeping with findings of previous studies (Armour, Peterson, & Roseborough, ; Bromley et al, ; Manuel et al, ; Mezey et al, ; NHS Health Scotland, ). Sources of stigma for the women in this study arose from self, professionals, family members and society (Jenkins et al, ; NHS Health Scotland, ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

The experiences and meanings of recovery for Swazi women living with “schizophrenia”

Ngubane

McAndrew

Collier

2019

Psychiatric Ment Health Nurs

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Accessible summary What is known on the subject? While there is no single definition of the concept of recovery for people with mental illness, hope has been recognized as a guiding principle; the belief that it is possible for a person to regain a meaningful life, despite serious mental illness. Little is known about the recovery process of women diagnosed with schizophrenia per se, with only six studies offering the woman’s voice identified and these all having taken place in developed countries. No studies on this topic have been carried out in Sub‐Saharan Africa, including Swaziland. What this paper adds to existing knowledge? This study provides unique insight into what is important to Swazi women, diagnosed with schizophrenia, in their process of their recovery. Because of current trends in migration, the findings of this study may provide mental health professionals with a better understand of the needs of those from this particular Sub‐Saharan country. The study discusses a range of issues affecting women including being labelled as mentally ill, stigma and discrimination, the importance of the sociocultural context of illness and positive attributes which promote women’s recovery. What are the implications for practice? This study provides mental health practitioners with insights and understanding of the lives of women from a Sub‐Saharan developing country. This will be helpful for better understanding of the context of mental illness both for practitioners supporting the development of services in such countries and for those working in Western countries with migrant populations. Abstract Introduction Globally, twenty‐four million people live with schizophrenia, 90% living in developing countries. While most Western cultures recognize service user expertise within the recovery process, this is not evident in developing countries. In particular, Swazi women diagnosed with schizophrenia experience stigma from family, community and care providers, thus compromising their recovery process. Aim This study aimed to explore the experiences and meanings of recovery for Swazi women living with schizophrenia. Methodology Interpretive phenomenological analysis was used. Fifteen women were recruited from Swaziland National Psychiatric Hospital out‐patients’ department, and face‐to‐face interviews were conducted. Findings Four super‐ordinate themes were identified: (a) The emotionality of “illness of the brain”; (b) Pain! Living with the illness and with others; (c) She is mad just ignore her; and (d) Being better. Discussion Discussion focuses on the findings of this study and a number of positive and negative implications emanating from them: labelling, stigma and the roles of family, culture and religious beliefs on the process of recovery. Implications for practice This study provides practitioners with insight into the importance of the sociocultural context of the lives of women diagnosed with schizophrenia and how, in understanding this, mental health care could be improved.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

The experiences and meanings of recovery for Swazi women living with “schizophrenia”

Ngubane

McAndrew

Collier

2019

Psychiatric Ment Health Nurs

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In the remodelled welfare states of the twenty‐first century politicians and policy makers expect people to take care of themselves and each other (Hurenkamp & Tonkens, 2011; Tonkens, ; Tonkens & De Wilde, 2013). People with psychiatric and intellectual disabilities should be taken care of by family and friends, but also by neighbours, colleagues and others who meet disabled people in their social lives (Bromley et al, ; Yanos, Stefancic, & Tsemberis, ). In this article we focus on the relationship between people with psychiatric and intellectual disabilities and other citizens not being professional carers or family members.…”

Section: Introduction: the Caring Societymentioning

confidence: 99%

Solidarity and Reciprocity Between People With and Without Disabilities

Bredewold

Tonkens

Trappenburg

2016

Community & Applied Soc Psy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Governments of contemporary welfare states call upon citizens to care for people with psychiatric or intellectual disabilities. This is deemed sensible and morally just. However, social–psychological theory suggests that stereotyping may stand in the way of engaging into contact. Sociological theory suggests that the giving of help is based on either balanced or generalized reciprocity. Balanced reciprocity depends on one's ability to ‘pay back’, which people with disabilities may have trouble doing. Generalized reciprocity depends on close social bonds, while people with disabilities often have fewer social bonds than other citizens. The current study aimed to find out whether citizens—despite socio‐psychological and sociological theories expecting otherwise—enter into supporting relationships with people with intellectual or psychiatric disabilities. Although we found socio‐psychological and sociological theory to be largely correct, we also found people to be more creative than theory assumes. A smile can be experienced as a return gift, thus including people with intellectual disabilities in the web of balanced reciprocity. Some people create new social bonds to include people with disabilities: they feel close to them because they had a job in the healthcare sector or because they had a family member with a disability. In disadvantaged neighbourhoods, recognition of each other's problems can create feelings of similarity and concomitant reciprocity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

show abstract

“…Recovery from mental illness is a complex process that includes adaptation to the diagnosis, developing agency and a sense of self-determination, community integration, as well as optimism about recovery and treatment options (Green, 2004; Liberman & Kopelowicz, 2005; Bromley et al, 2013; Leamy, Bird, Le, Williams, & Slade, 2011). Clinical approaches to trauma treatment or treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Frueh et al, 2009; Mueser et al, 2008) have been evaluated among people with serious mental illnesses, but we found no studies of relationships between adverse events and measures of recovery.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of adverse child and adult experiences on recovery from serious mental illness.

Stumbo¹,

Yarborough²,

Paulson³

et al. 2015

Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Objective To compare effects of adverse childhood experiences and adverse adult experiences on recovery from serious mental illnesses. Methods As part of a mixed-methods study of recovery from serious mental illnesses, we interviewed and administered questionnaires to 177 members of a not-for-profit health plan over a two-year period. Participants had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, affective psychosis, schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Data for analyses came from standardized self-reported measures; outcomes included recovery, functioning, quality of life, and psychiatric symptoms. Adverse events in childhood and adulthood were evaluated as predictors. Results Child and adult exposures to adverse experiences were high, at 91% and 82% respectively. Cumulative lifetime exposure to adverse experiences (childhood plus adult experiences) was 94%. In linear regression analyses, adverse adult experiences were more important predictors of outcomes than adverse childhood experiences. Adult experiences were associated with lower recovery scores, quality of life, mental and physical functioning, social functioning, and greater psychiatric symptoms. Emotional neglect in adulthood was associated with lower recovery scores. Conclusions and Implications for Practice Early and repeated exposure to adverse events was common in this sample of people with serious mental illnesses. Adverse adult experiences were stronger predictors of worse functioning and lower recovery levels than were childhood experiences. Focusing clinical attention on adult experiences of adverse or traumatic events may result in greater benefit than focusing on childhood experiences alone.

show abstract

Experiencing Community: Perspectives of Individuals Diagnosed as Having Serious Mental Illness

Cited by 57 publications

References 47 publications

The experiences and meanings of recovery for Swazi women living with “schizophrenia”

The experiences and meanings of recovery for Swazi women living with “schizophrenia”

Solidarity and Reciprocity Between People With and Without Disabilities

The impact of adverse child and adult experiences on recovery from serious mental illness.

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About