the book
†Welcome to the world of patients (2021) A psychological account of chronic illness. It was written by Hannah Barefoots, 38, who has struggled with Ehls-Danlos Syndrome since she was 22. This is a genetic disorder in which the connective tissue is affected, causing chronic pain in the muscles and joints.”
what is he talking about?
“During a visit to the zoo, Clay comes into contact with a goat and develops Q fever fatigue syndrome. He is constantly tired and in a lot of pain. Clay doesn’t give in to this and fights his complaints. Barefoots takes you there. Fully participate in his experience. You gain empathy and understanding for his struggles and dilemmas.” Will he accept his illness and satisfy life with limitations?”
Who would you recommend this book to and why?
“For all patients with somatic complaints that are not physically justified, often abbreviated as MUS. And in particular for the acute variety somatic disorder. This relates to chronic complaints such as fatigue, pain or gastrointestinal problems, which persist or worsen due to the way in which they People think about it or deal with it. For example, some people fear pain so much that they can barely move, leaving them in poorer shape and experiencing more pain. Psychotherapy or body-oriented therapy can help, but some never get rid of it.”
How do you deal with that then? Clay visits a medical professional one by one and undergoes all kinds of treatments, including special diets. He’s totally absorbed in it and wants to get better at all costs. As a reader, you understand why he does it, but at the same time you see the fallacies he does, and the pitfalls he falls into.”
Slowly but surely he destroys it for himself. In his quest for a cure, he loses much of what is important in life. It turns out that his relationship is not very resilient, and friendships are failing. He loses a girlfriend who wants to help him accept his life current”.
Sometimes he ends up in awkward situations. At a party, he starts a conversation with another man whose partner has cancer. He says this is at least a limited disease. You cure cancer, or you don’t cure. But it stopped, the disease stopped. “
†Welcome to the world of patients It can help patients understand what they are getting into, and think about how they are coping with the disease. The caveat is in order: Clay is not the typical patient with somatic symptom disorder. He’s an anti-hero, things end badly with him. It’s not a book you happily shut down, but it makes you think.”
