“How can I still be me?”: Strategies to maintain a sense of self in the context of a neurological condition
Open accessAbstract
The Living with a Neurological Condition (LINC) study was part of the National Population Health Study of Neurological Conditions conducted in Canada. This article describes empirical original qualitative data collected in the third and final phase of this study and examines how individuals living with a neurological condition maintain continuity of their sense of self, with a particular focus on their strategies. Fifteen interviews were analysed for this paper. Emerging strategies for maintaining sense of self include: (1) avoidance and denial, (2) cognitive reframing, (3) articulation of the self through imagined positive identity, (4) strategies that reconnect to identity in the past, (5) adjusting and altering goals, (6) spiritual activities, (7) humour, (8) comparison with others: identity as shaped through social constructs, and (9) creating communities: a reciprocal reflection of self.
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Having a break from the reality of their situation may help patients with motor neuron disease manage their emotions, for instance by engaging in activities like playing video games.
“Alternatively, having a break from the reality of their situation may help patients manage their emotions for instance by engaging in activities like playing video games (Roger et al., 2014).”
From Patients experiences of maintaining mental well-being and hope within motor neuron disease: a thematic synthesis (2015) · cites this paper as Roger et al., 2014
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- Authors
- Roger, K., Wetzel, M., Hutchinson, S., Packer, T., & Versnel, J.
- Affiliations
- University of Manitoba (CA)
- Dalhousie University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Versnel, Joan
- Venue
- International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2014-01
- Volume
- 9
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 23534-23534
- ISSN
- 1748-2623 (ISSN-L)
- 1748-2631
- PMC
- PMC3986911
- OpenAlex
- W1979142067
- Cited by
- 25
- References
- 31
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 7.04
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-Being (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Funders
- University of Manitoba
- Public Health Agency of Canada
- Public Health Agency
- Dalhousie University
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health, psychology, and well-being
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
- Keywords
- selfhood, neurological disorders, identity preservation, coping strategies, cognitive reframing, positive identity, spiritual activities, humour, social comparison, community building, goal adjustment, living with chronic illness
- MeSH terms
- Activities of Daily Living, Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Aged, Attitude to Health, Chronic Disease, Female, Health Surveys, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Nervous System Diseases, Ontario, Surveys and Questionnaires, Self Concept, Qualitative Research, Young Adult
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