Women Suffering through Their Bodies

Abstract

This article is concerned with the nature of suffering as experienced by women struggling with problems related to the body. Since the body is viewed as integral in the formation of a woman's identity and self-concept, any illness, ailment, or deficiency associated with it may lead her to experience pain and suffering. To explore meanings of personal suffering, three contexts were chosen, namely familial breast cancer, eating disorders, and infertility. A qualitative approach, using the case study method, was adopted to provide rich descriptions of the different experiences of suffering. In-depth interviews were conducted with women living with familial breast cancer, eating disorders, and infertility. Two women were chosen for each context. The results show that for these women suffering manifested as loss, isolation, loneliness, anger, and emptiness. Suffering encompassed the physical, emotional, and social spheres, and entailed a deep and complex experience of pain. It was also evident that suffering remains a personal issue that depends on a person's life circumstances, personality, past and present experiences, the problem at hand, and the surrounding environment.