ABSTRACT
Persons suffering from chronic pain or illness experience a sense of loss at the personal and interpersonal level. The losses incurred are existential and personal, as a sense of self and a sense of control over one's destiny is undermined. There is a sense of "not being who I was," and a loss of the way of living for both the sufferer and the caregivers and other family members. In addition, there are interpersonal losses such as a change in relationships with family members and other significant others, loss of employment, and loss of an active social life.
