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Managing the Uncertainties of Gulf War Illness: The Challenges of Living with Contested Illness
Author(s) -
Shriver Thomas E.,
Waskul Dennis D.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
symbolic interaction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.874
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1533-8665
pISSN - 0195-6086
DOI - 10.1525/si.2006.29.4.465
Subject(s) - ambiguity , credibility , gulf war , stigma (botany) , psychology , psychiatry , social psychology , social stigma , criminology , medicine , political science , family medicine , history , law , linguistics , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , economic history , philosophy
Based on observation and in‐depth interviews with fifty‐five respondents, we provide a detailed analysis of the Gulf War illness experience. All chronically ill people experience troublesome physical symptoms, but most reasonably expect to receive medical answers and treatment, in addition to the support of family, friends, employers, and coworkers. This research addresses a circumstance where neither sick people nor the medical establishment has clear answers to the basic etiology and treatment of illness. Consequently, many veterans endure doubt, threats to their credibility, and intensified stigma. The resulting ambiguity and stigma initiate efforts to redefine and renegotiate the illness experience. Drawing heavily from the thick descriptions provided by Gulf War veterans and their spouses, we document assaults on the physical body, emotional stability, social status, and selfhood, as well as negative effects on social relations. We also examine how institutional barriers influence the contested illness experience.