TY - JOUR
T1 - The mindful body: A phenomenology of the body with multiple sclerosis
AU - Van der Meide, Hanneke
AU - Teunissen, Truus
AU - Collard, P.R.
AU - Visse, Merel
AU - Visser, Leo
PY - 2018/12/1
Y1 - 2018/12/1
N2 - For people living with multiple sclerosis (MS), one’s own body may no longer be taken for granted but may become instead an insistent presence. In this article, we describe how the body experience of people with MS can reflect an ongoing oscillation between four experiential dimensions: bodily uncertainty, having a precious body, being a different body, and the mindful body. People with MS can become engaged in a mode of permanent bodily alertness and may demonstrate adaptive responses to their ill body. In contrast to many studies on health and illness, our study shows that the presence of the body may not necessarily result in alienation or discomfort. By focusing the attention on the body, a sense of well-being can be cultivated and the negative effects of MS only temporarily dominate experience. Rather than aiming at bodily dis-appearance, health care professionals should therefore consider ways to support bodily eu-appearance.
AB - For people living with multiple sclerosis (MS), one’s own body may no longer be taken for granted but may become instead an insistent presence. In this article, we describe how the body experience of people with MS can reflect an ongoing oscillation between four experiential dimensions: bodily uncertainty, having a precious body, being a different body, and the mindful body. People with MS can become engaged in a mode of permanent bodily alertness and may demonstrate adaptive responses to their ill body. In contrast to many studies on health and illness, our study shows that the presence of the body may not necessarily result in alienation or discomfort. By focusing the attention on the body, a sense of well-being can be cultivated and the negative effects of MS only temporarily dominate experience. Rather than aiming at bodily dis-appearance, health care professionals should therefore consider ways to support bodily eu-appearance.
KW - Embodiment
KW - Interview
KW - Lived experiences
KW - Multiple-sclerosis
KW - Phenomenology
KW - Qualitative
KW - The Netherlands
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85055901760&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85055901760&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/1049732318796831
DO - 10.1177/1049732318796831
M3 - Article
VL - 28
SP - 2239
EP - 2249
JO - Qualitative Health Research
JF - Qualitative Health Research
SN - 1049-7323
IS - 14
ER -