How do psychiatric patients perceive and experience their body, and what attitudes do they have towards own body?

Abstract The purpose of this study is to develop new knowledge by exploring how psychotic patients perceive and experience their body, and how they use their body and what attitudes they have to own body. Background: We know that psychiatric patients have more bodily problems and illnesses than the general public; they have a lover level of physical fitness, according to heart rate and respiratory function, and a variety of other life style related health problems which give them a shorter than average life expectancy . How they experience and see their own body is a field which is little explored. We need new knowledge in this domain to better understand them and to help them obtain better health. Method: This is a case control study, and we had a total of 21 patients and 87 controls participating. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. A modified version of the Body Attitude Test (BAT),and a qualitative interview were used. The scores are analysed in SPSS version 18 and analyzed with the Spearman’s rho and the qualitative interviews were recorded and transcribed, and analyzed after Giorgis phenomenological analyzes. The patients were young psychotic mostly men from a closed ward at a psychiatric hospital. The controls were staff from the hospital and students from the University College, faculty of social work and health science. Results: The most striking difference between the groups was a lack of reported bodily well-being and pleasure, feeling tense and having a hard time relaxing in the patient group. This was accompanied with a feeling of not being able to control their tensions and negative attitudes towards own body. Conclusion: Many of the patients had a general feeling of not being at home in own body, and felt there was very little they could do to help themselves relaxing and feeling well. Implications for health workers: When doing physical training with psychiatric patients, it might be helpful to have focus on the patient’s enjoyment and mastering of the activity as well as helping them with relaxation techniques. It might be useful for them better to master their bodily tenseness, make them able to help themselves and not feeling powerless in relation to own body.