Suffering in addiction : a struggle with life

• This study aims at describing how the struggle of suffering, theorised in Eriksson's writings, is experienced within the context of drug addiction, and how the drama of suffering is expressed in this context. Narratives from nine participants were interpreted by means of a hermeneutic approach. The struggle of suffering could be conceived as a struggle with life, a struggle between shame and dignity threatening the person's experience of his/herself as authentic and whole. The conclusions are that addiction is not only the cause of suffering, but also means to handle it. Nurses thus must realise that suffering could be expressed and handled in unexpected ways, otherwise there is a risk for violating the patient's dignity and cause suffering instead of alleviate it

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