Insight and Interpretation of Illness in Recovery From Psychosis

Abstract

The concept of insight as it applies to patients suffering from psychotic illness is reviewed. An exploratory study using structured interviews with patients recovering from psychotic illness indicated that the characteristics of insight fell into five main dimensions: (1) views about symptoms, (2) views about the existence of an illness, (3) speculations about etiology, (4) views about vulnerability to recurrence, and (5) opinions about the value of treatment. Some preliminary findings regarding the association of patterns of insight with diagnosis and chronicity of illness, and the implications of these findings for clinical work and for future research, are presented.

Unawareness of illness and its relationship with depression and self-deception in schizophrenia

“…This is most clearly shown by the third set of analyses, the results of which are summarized in Table 7.5. These findings can also be interpreted as evidence that depression in schizophrenia arises from a lessening of defensive denial and an increase in insight which results in those individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia becoming aware of the tragic circumstances of their condition (McGlashan & Carpenter, 1976;Greenfeld et al, 1989;Wciorka, 1988). The results from the correlational and multiple regression analyses suggest that different aspects of insight may be differentially associated with defensive self-deception and depressive symptomatology.…”

Insight into illness and outcome in anorexia nervosa

“…In this context, "insight" refers to the ability to acknowledge having an illness or symptoms, as well as an awareness of the need for treatment and of the risk of recurrence (Greenfeld, Strauss, Bowers, & Mandlekern, 1989). A number of investigators have explored subjects' attitude toward their disorder.…”

Making Sense of Mental Illness as a Full Human Experience: Perspective of Illness and Recovery Held by People With a Mental Illness Living in the Community

“…While some studies have explored illness identity in the development of recovery, these have focused more on conceptual frameworks developed to understand physical illness (Kinderman, Setzu, Lobban, & Salmon, 2006). Such studies include interpretations from people while in hospital environments (Greenfeld, Strauss, Bowers, & Mandelkern, 1989); analysis of previous studies to describe the impact of the term "illness identity" for recovery (Yanos, Roe, & Lysaker, 2010); and published personal accounts of managing identity following the onset of acute episodes of illness (Wisdom, Bruce, Saedi, Weis, & Green, 2008;Yanos et al, 2010).…”