title: To be strategically struggling against resignation: the lived experience of being cared for in forensic psychiatric care.
abstract: To be referred to care in forensic psychiatric services can be seen as one of the most comprehensive encroachments society can impose upon a person's life, as it entails a limitation of the individual's freedom with no time limit. This study focuses upon patients' experiences of their life situation in forensic psychiatric wards. Using a Reflective Lifeworld Research approach founded in phenomenology, we analysed 11 qualitative interviews with patients cared for on a maximum security unit in a Swedish forensic psychiatric service. Results show how forensic psychiatric care can be non-caring with only moments of good care, from the patient's perspective. By using different strategies, the patients attempt to adapt to the demands of the caregivers in order to gain privileges. At the same time the patients are lacking meaningful and close relationships and long to get away from the system of forensic care. Being cared for entails struggling against an approaching overwhelming sense of resignation.
authors.affiliation: Linnæus University, School of Health and Caring Sciences, Lifeworld Centre for Health, Care and Learning , Växjö 351 95, Sweden. ulrica.horberg@lnu.se
authors.forename: Ulrica
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hörberg
authors.forename: Reet
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sjögren
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dahlberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D057565:Apathy; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D004644:Emotions; D004924:Escape Reaction; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology*; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011329:Prisoners / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology*; D011678:Punishment; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000523:psychology; D035501:Uncertainty; D055815:Young Adult