MICK AND OWEN CHRONIC ILLNESS AND IDENTITY

HOW MIGHT JOINING A GRP WETHER FACE TO FACE OR ONLINE BE HELPFUL TO S'ONE WHO'S IDENTITY IS SHAPED BY CHRONIC ILLNESS. COULD THERE BE DOWNSIDES?CASE STUDY. MICK AND OWENOur identity can be described as how we view ourselves in relation to the world and peopel around us and chronic illness can change how an individual views their place in society and how they fit inot the life they previously had. PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC ILLNESS OFTEN SUFFER FROM IDENTITY LOSS, they see their former sense of self fall away without having a new one established, they now feel defined by the illness of which they may know very little, it impacts not only on their lives but alos on the lives of their friends and families.There are many positives around joining a grp as experienced by both Mick and Owen. The ADVANTAGES include: Possible to learn from others experiences which can lead the individual to a greater understanding of themselves and enhance their personal development. They enable people to speak out and indentify both the personal and collective needs. The presence of a skilled leader can lead grps to be a theraputic process (grp therapy). They can allow people to gain support and experience from others who have had the same life experiences as them but perhaps dealt with them in a different way. Grps can be enabling for all who attend what ever the reason, be it chronic health sufferers or those affected by disease such as the boys in the V. PATEL STUDY. Grps can be educational, education doesn't have to be from a professional (rise of the expert pt). They can reduce feelings of isolation which is beneficial to psychosocial health. GRPS CAN OFFER CHOICES: ALLOW PEOPLE TO TALK IN A WAY IN WHICH THEY CAN'T WITH FAMILIES AND THOSE NOT AFFECTED (GALLOWS HUMOUR). THEY CAN BE A SOURCE OF INFO AS FOR MICK AND OWEN ABOUT HAEMOPHILLIA AND HIV. THEY CAN NORMALISE CHRONIC ILLNESS AND HELP SHARE THE BURDEN HELPING THE PERSON GAIN A NEW SENSE OF IDENTITY AND SUPPORT THEM IN GETTIN ON WITH THEIR LIVES.The disadvantages are that group wrk does not suit everyone and although the Seeta Patel study focused on self help groups the factors identified can be attributed to groups in general. As with self help groups which are viewed to be middle calss and introspective there can be a stigma attached to group therapy as attending one puts you amongst a group of people who are stigmitsed by a disease such as HIV. For many joining a grp means admitting they have a problem and the speed at which someone does this is a personal thing, encouraging them to join when not ready could have adverse effects on the psych health. As Seetal Patel identifies many peopel may feel uneasy discussing private matters in public and may be concerned about the information remaining confidential. They may also worry about who will find out they attend the group and in turn will know what they may consider to be private.

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