Mutuality as background music in women's lived experience of mental health and depression.

Full Abstract

Mental health problems, especially depression, have turned into an extensive public health problem, affecting women in particular. The aim of this study was to obtain a deeper understanding of mental health phenomena through elderly women's lived experiences of mental health and depression. The phenomenological approach was chosen for collecting experience-based and person-centred descriptions from 21 women, focusing on mental health and depression. The interviews were analysed using Giorgi's phenomenological descriptive method. Mutuality in their relationships with themselves and others emerged as a major element in the women's experience of mental health and depression. When the women's existence and value were confirmed in relation to themselves and others, mental health appeared as an ascending spiral. When the women's value and self-esteem in relation to themselves and others were violated, the result was a descending spiral. Metaphorically speaking, 'mutuality' provided the 'background music' to the women's lives. Being a skilled professional psychiatric nurse means making the best use of mutuality as a creative power in the nurse-patient relationship. This means that the nurse must be aware that her/his attitude, appearance and behaviour are interpreted as a confirmation of the patient's worthiness or worthlessness.

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Author information

Author/s: Hedelin, B (B); Jonsson, I (I);

Affiliation: Karlstad University, Division for Health and Caring Sciences, Karlstad, Sweden. birgitta.hedelin(-atsign-)kau.se

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing (J Psychiatr Ment Health Nurs), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Jun; vol 10 (issue 3) : pp 317-22

Dates: Created 2003/05/20; Completed 2003/07/09; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 12755916, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Attitude to Health
Depression - nursing; psychology
Female
Humans
Mental Health
Nurse's Role

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