The Obligation to Remain Sick

Group Rehabilitation for the Vascular‐Disease Amputee

“…The patient may interpret these feelings as evidence of physical illness. Among the interpretations have been malingering or hysteria (2), the obligation to remain sick (3), invalidism (4), secondary gain (5), and failure to relinquish the sick role (6). The vascular amputee is a complicated person with problems far more complex than phantom pain in the amputation stump and nonhealing ulcers.…”

Family Dynamics, the Sick Role, and Medical Hospital Admissions

“…Fortunately, in both cases neither the patients nor their wives could relinquish their usual social interactions on a long-term basis in order to utilize sickness and hospitalization as a means of gratifying their respective needs and preserving equilibrium. It is not uncommon, however, to find other patients on chronic disease wards who do adopt sickness as a permanent solution (20). Further, Mrs. A. felt "awful" about her husband's being in the hospital and wanted to utilize this role arrangement only as long as was necessary for her to adjust to the newer and more permanent one of separation.…”

Treating self-mutilating behavior: A social strategy.

“…When the hierarchy of an organization becomes confused, symptomatic behavior stabilizes such confusion. Bursten and D’Esopo (11) reiterate this position. They suggest that it is tempting to assume that patients who “refuse” to get well are in conflict with their family or society.…”