Positive models of suffering and psychiatry

Doctors’ typical reaction to patients’ suffering is to alleviate it when clinically appropriate. This has been described as a negative model of suffering, in contrast to the positive model of suffering. In the positive model, suffering can contain an important message of needed change, indicate a re...

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Main Author: Ahmed Samei Huda
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2025-02-01
Series:BJPsych Bulletin
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056469423001043/type/journal_article
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author Ahmed Samei Huda
author_facet Ahmed Samei Huda
author_sort Ahmed Samei Huda
collection DOAJ
description Doctors’ typical reaction to patients’ suffering is to alleviate it when clinically appropriate. This has been described as a negative model of suffering, in contrast to the positive model of suffering. In the positive model, suffering can contain an important message of needed change, indicate a response to a psychosocial predicament or be a route to spiritual enlightenment. This approach is briefly critiqued, and circumstances where patients might prefer this approach are described. Doctors can work alongside professionals using this approach while also trying to alleviate suffering if indicated (such as if a patient wishes less suffering or if risk is involved).
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institution Kabale University
issn 2056-4694
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publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Cambridge University Press
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series BJPsych Bulletin
spelling doaj-art-8148fc5cc2ec4fae94441d6da462b34a2025-02-10T09:26:20ZengCambridge University PressBJPsych Bulletin2056-46942056-47082025-02-0149495110.1192/bjb.2023.104Positive models of suffering and psychiatryAhmed Samei Huda0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6112-0095Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, UKDoctors’ typical reaction to patients’ suffering is to alleviate it when clinically appropriate. This has been described as a negative model of suffering, in contrast to the positive model of suffering. In the positive model, suffering can contain an important message of needed change, indicate a response to a psychosocial predicament or be a route to spiritual enlightenment. This approach is briefly critiqued, and circumstances where patients might prefer this approach are described. Doctors can work alongside professionals using this approach while also trying to alleviate suffering if indicated (such as if a patient wishes less suffering or if risk is involved).https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056469423001043/type/journal_articlePatients and service usersphilosophypsychosocial interventionsphenomenologyanthropology
spellingShingle Ahmed Samei Huda
Positive models of suffering and psychiatry
BJPsych Bulletin
Patients and service users
philosophy
psychosocial interventions
phenomenology
anthropology
title Positive models of suffering and psychiatry
title_full Positive models of suffering and psychiatry
title_fullStr Positive models of suffering and psychiatry
title_full_unstemmed Positive models of suffering and psychiatry
title_short Positive models of suffering and psychiatry
title_sort positive models of suffering and psychiatry
topic Patients and service users
philosophy
psychosocial interventions
phenomenology
anthropology
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2056469423001043/type/journal_article
work_keys_str_mv AT ahmedsameihuda positivemodelsofsufferingandpsychiatry