title: Hope is a four-letter word: riding the emotional rollercoaster of illness management.
abstract: In this autoethnography, I explore the process and emotional experience of trying a new drug to improve my quality of life. In so doing, I synthesise personal history with extant research on chronic illness by analysing ways in which my experiences reflect and reject social norms. I also incorporate perspectives from research on aspirations and attainment, and the mental health consequences of cyclical disappointment. By weaving together lessons from each of these literatures, I articulate an integrative psychosocial understanding of the micro-level processes and experiences involved in illness management as well as the ways that experiences of illness management may require integration of varied sociological insights concerning health. In closing, I draw out theoretical implications for understanding the integration and variation of insights from many areas of health research in the lived experiences of people with chronic conditions. A Virtual Abstract of this article can be seen at: https://youtu.be/5aoaWGItDgM.
authors: Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine, College of Medicine, Florida State University, USA.
authors: Alexandra C H
authors: AC
authors: Nowakowski
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D019468:Disease Management; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D065026:Hope; D006801:Humans; D052016:Mucositis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology
keywords: aspirations; autoethnography; chronic conditions; illness management; medical care