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Talk about life: subjective experience in early psychosis
Author(s) -
Brown J.,
Stadnyk R.,
Whitehorn D.,
Kopala L.,
Townsend E.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0447.106.s413.1_140.x
Subject(s) - psychosis , psychology , feeling , everyday life , phenomenology (philosophy) , qualitative research , competence (human resources) , lived experience , developmental psychology , psychotherapist , psychiatry , social psychology , sociology , social science , philosophy , epistemology , political science , law
Objective To explore the complex ways that early psychosis affects young people, and the things they do to look after themselves, enjoy life, and be productive, and the influence of the environmental factors. Methods An occupational life history approach, based on phenomenology, guided interviews with five participants. Results Data analysis identified eight common themes, that coalesced into the following: (1) There was no ‘life before psychosis’, (2) Life becomes increasingly narrow with the onset of symptoms after treatment, life expands again through an active learning process, which involves taking action with limited awareness about what one can actually do, (3) Maintaining productive roles limits the impact of psychosis however, few were enjoying life, had a boyfriend or girlfriend, or lived independently, (4) People with early psychosis maintain a feeling of competence, make their own decisions, and use meaningful occupations to rebuild their identities. Conclusions Qualitative research is useful in gaining an understanding into what young people with early psychosis experience in trying to recover in everyday life.