ABSTRACT
Sometimes abstract discussions can cause us to lose sight of the real-life processes affected by our concepts. In this chapter, the lives of three patients – Lucy, Samuel and Lauren – are outlined in order to give some flesh to the bones of diagnosis and symptomatic profiles. Each patient’s experience is different, and the case histories described here are a testament to the confusion and alienation that can often result from having a contested illness. However, what they also show is that our conceptual discussions have referents, and we should never forget that.
