Some participants felt that these adolescents were ‘causing
their own harm’. Without an understanding of the chronic
nature of anorexia nervosa, they found it hard to be sympathetic,
and Ian clearly demonstrated this lack of understanding:
‘They had the choice. They didn’t have to sort of go
along with the…so-called norms of society and trying to fit
into a specific clique. They had the choice, but they chose to
go the way that they did’. ‘Blaming the victim’ was especially
pronounced when participants contrasted anorexic patients
with other ‘chronically sick kids’ on the ward, such as ‘adolescents
with cystic fibrosis’. Skye put it like this: ‘…it’s very
hard to, sort of, have complete understanding and compassion
when you feel they may be able to contribute to getting
themselves better’. Participants saw adolescents with anorexia
as using services that other sick ‘kids’ – deemed more
worthy of a therapeutic alliance – required (Breeze & Repper
1998). This attitude seemed to be exacerbated by being shortstaffed
and pressure from the hospital system for a quick
recovery (Breeze & Repper 1998).
Paradoxically, participants wanted both to have the
‘control’ and for patients to take ‘control’. This confusion
and ambivalence was a result of a poor understanding of
anorexia, compounded by the ongoing futile ‘struggle for
control’. Education is the key to less ambivalence and
frustration. Research shows that many health professionals
share these negative attitudes, do not enjoy caring for
mental health patients and provide them with less care
because they believe these patients are ‘causing their illness’
or have a ‘self-induced illness’ (Olsen 1997, Bulik &
Kendler 2000). It has also been found that negative attitudes
change with greater understanding (Fleming & Szmukler
1992).
Some participants felt that these adolescents were ‘causing
their own harm’. Without an understanding of the chronic
nature of anorexia nervosa, they found it hard to be sympathetic,
and Ian clearly demonstrated this lack of understanding:
‘They had the choice. They didn’t have to sort of go
along with the…so-called norms of society and trying to fit
into a specific clique. They had the choice, but they chose to
go the way that they did’. ‘Blaming the victim’ was especially
pronounced when participants contrasted anorexic patients
with other ‘chronically sick kids’ on the ward, such as ‘adolescents
with cystic fibrosis’. Skye put it like this: ‘…it’s very
hard to, sort of, have complete understanding and compassion
when you feel they may be able to contribute to getting
themselves better’. Participants saw adolescents with anorexia
as using services that other sick ‘kids’ – deemed more
worthy of a therapeutic alliance – required (Breeze & Repper
1998). This attitude seemed to be exacerbated by being shortstaffed
and pressure from the hospital system for a quick
recovery (Breeze & Repper 1998).
Paradoxically, participants wanted both to have the
‘control’ and for patients to take ‘control’. This confusion
and ambivalence was a result of a poor understanding of
anorexia, compounded by the ongoing futile ‘struggle for
control’. Education is the key to less ambivalence and
frustration. Research shows that many health professionals
share these negative attitudes, do not enjoy caring for
mental health patients and provide them with less care
because they believe these patients are ‘causing their illness’
or have a ‘self-induced illness’ (Olsen 1997, Bulik &
Kendler 2000). It has also been found that negative attitudes
change with greater understanding (Fleming & Szmukler
1992).
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