This dissertation proposes the adoption of the concept of tragedy as a theological category, as a way to address the traditional problem of suffering in the natural world, customarily known as the problem of natural evil. The theological utilization of the concept of tragedy enables a Christian doctrine of creation to remain accountable to the structures and processes of the natural world, including evolutionary development. Many traditions evince an awareness of the intractability of suffering in nature and there have been various religious responses to it. Within some Christian communities, the discovery by Charles Darwin (1809-1882) of evolution by natural selection proved disruptive to established ways of addressing that issue. This disruption has been especially significant in the area of theological interpretations of creation. This is the case in part because of the way evolutionary theory reveals the role of starvation, predation, and constrained stochasticity in the development of ecosystems and organisms. Theological responses to evolution within the Christian tradition have typically failed to come to terms with these features of biological evolution. However, Hans Urs von Balthasar (1905-1988), Donald MacKinnon (1913-1994), and Rowan Williams (b. 1950) have, in different ways, shown how theological interpretations of tragedy can achieve a high degree of realism in regard to suffering, respecting the unique characteristics of individual experiences while situating suffering in a theologically meaningful frame of reference. These thinkers have also identified an awareness of tragedy within the Christian tradition itself, particularly as it is reflected in liturgical practices. This dissertation employs these insights to address the issue of suffering in the natural world, in order to contribute to a realist Christian doctrine of creation. The theological category of tragedy does not solve the problem of natural evil. But it has the double virtue of attending closely to the specifics of the natural world and maintaining a principled tension between experiences of suffering and Christian claims about the possibility of redemption.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2013-02-07Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:18:44Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 cambui_ha_me_bauru_prot.pdf: 2291452 bytes, checksum: 7940e7cec3c5f88fdea8dc1d62322db2 (MD5) / As profundas transformações sócio-culturais pelas quais atravessa o mundo têm sido acompanhadas de diversas formas de manifestações de sofrimento psíquico. Observa-se o aparecimento de novas configurações subjetivas e modalidades de sofrimento psíquico e, simultaneamente, sua ressonância e impactos na clínica psicológica, exigindo compreensão e manejos singulares. As condutas que ocorrem n contexto da intersubjetividade são organizadas a partir de campos psicológicos inconscientes, que influenciam as práticas individuais e coletivas. Portanto, considera-se relevante identificar os sentidos subjetivos acerca do sofrimento psíquico contemporâneo no imaginário dos estudantes de psicologia que comporão o contexto intersubjetivo da clínica em seu exercício profissional ou que, de diferentes formas, devem refletir sobre as novas manifestações da subjetividade humana. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar psicanaliticamente o imaginário coletivo d estudantes ingressantes e em fase de conclusão de curso em Psicologia acerca do sofrimento psíquico contemporâneo. À luz do método psicanalítico, esta investigação foi realizada por meio do uso do Procedimento de Desenho-Estórias com Temas como recurso mediador-dialógico em entrevista grupal para a abordagem da pessoalidade coletiva em ambos os grupos de estudantes. Posteriormente, a cada entrevista, foram confeccionadas narrativas interativas e sob a compreensão de que as manifestações simbólicas regem as condutas humanas, o cojunto das produções dos desenhos-estórias, com base nas narrativas, foi interpretativamente analisado em busca da apreensão dos campos de sentido afetivo-emocional. O cenário geral admite a organização das produções subjetivas em campos psicológicos emergentes, dentre os quais se apresentam: Solidão... / Profound socio-cultural transformations the world has undergone have been followed by various forms of manifestations of psychic suffering. One notices the appearance of new subjective configurations and model of psychic suffering and, simultaneously, their resonance and impacts on the psychology clinic, demanding especial understanding and management. The conducts taking place within the context of inter-subjectivity are organized within unconscious psychological fields, which have influence on individual and collective practices. Therefore, one considers relevant the identification of subjectives senses formulated about contemporary psychic suffering within the imaginary of psychology students who will provide the inter-subjective context of the clinic in the exercise of their profession or who, in different ways, should ponder on the new manifestation of human inter-subjectivivty. The aim of this study was to investigate psychoanalytically the collective imaginary of freshmen and senior psychology students about contemporary psychic suffering. In the ligh of the psychoanalytic method, the present research was carried out by using the Procedure of Drawings-Stories with Themes as a mediating-dialogic resource in group interview to broach collective personal nature in both groups of students. Subsequently, interactive narratives were generated for each group interview. By understanding that symbolic manifestations govern human conducts, the set of productions of the drawings-stories, based on the interactive narratives, was interpretatively analyzed trying to apprehend the fields of affective-emotional meaning. The general setting acknowledges the organization of subjective productions within emerging psychological fields, among which on suggests the following: Loneliness, Essays on suffering, Grieves... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

The perspective of the individual who self-injures has been under-represented in research. This study places the meaning of self-injury for these individuals at its core. People who self-injure can offer comprehensive and discerning insights into the behaviour. This study confirms the findings of earlier research that self-injury is often rooted in processes of suffering. The social and personal cost experienced by people who self-injure can be high, not only in direct relation to the self-injury itself, but also regarding the legacy of the processes of suffering in general from which self-injury emerged. In this study the processes of suffering, ritual and stigma are explored. Using a qualitative approach, data was collected from 25 self-injuring participants though semi-structured interviews. Interview data was supplemented by diaries and collections of poetry. The main findings from the study are that self-injury can emerge as an action scheme of escape from the processes of suffering. It is a highly stigmatised behaviour which can also develop into an extremely ritualised practice involving a complexity of meanings regarding the surroundings, the apparatus and the process. The self-injury ritual can be viewed as an extreme but therapeutic workout for the five senses of the human body.

The problem this research addresses is: How are people to deal with the dilemma of facing suffering in life with a body that offers restrictions both within itself and without? Can meaning be brought to the seemingly hopeless situation people find themselves in, that is, in the frailty of their lives/bodies? These and other questions arise when worshippers of God see themselves within the limited boundaries that their bodies hold for them physically, emotionally, socially and religiously. To ask these questions is to come to terms with the issue of pain and suffering of the human race in the face of a loving and caring God. Psalm 39, with its confessions of a suffering person, properly illustrates the point. Psalm 39 is analyzed by means of a socio-rhetorical approach with the emphasis on the inner, the social and cultural and the sacred textures of the text. The worshipper is characterized as a ‘holy person’ with a special relationship with Yahweh. He is also seen to have serious questions before God about life in general in the light of the severe distress/pain he experiences. He calls out for change within himself and his society. His experiences, attitude and behaviour may generically be applied to our lives today. God’s characterization has revealed that He initiates change as He deals with the root cause of the worshipper’s distress, his sin. The symbolization of God is significant in that, to a large extent, God is symbolized in this psalm in such a way as to fit the immediate needs of the worshipper. The struggle/tension that exists between the worshipper and God is a reality for us today and is a bodily issue. Often we are faced with similar difficult situations. God seems to be standing aloof while we experience severe distress that appear to originate from Him or that He allows. The answer offered by Psalm 39 is that balance in life can be found in understanding the frailty of life/the body, and experiencing the hope of salvation from Yahweh as a reality of life. / Prof. J.H. Coetzee

Humans' capacity to attain knowledge is central to Spinoza's philosophy because, in part, knowing things enables humans to deal properly with their affects. But it is not just any sort of knowledge that humans should attain. There are different types of knowledge, but only two of them–rational and intuitive knowledge–enable humans who attain them to know things clearly. Because rational knowledge attends to universals whereas intuitive knowledge attends to particulars, intuitive knowledge is better than rational knowledge at enabling humans to deal with their affects. Most scholars recognize both the importance of knowledge to humans' dealing with their affects and the superiority of intuitive knowledge at enabling them to do this. But these points are particularly relevant to the affect that Spinoza calls "tristitia," which is usually translated as either "pain" or "sadness." I argue in this dissertation that attaining knowledge– especially intuitive knowledge–enables humans to deal properly with their experiences of pain. This ability that humans acquire by knowing things is what I call "active suffering." A person suffers passively when she merely reacts to her pain, in this way allowing an external force to control her. She suffers actively when she uses knowledge to respond to her pain, in this way being in control of herself. This knowledge she uses to deal actively with her pain bears a relation to Spinoza's theory of freedom, since it entails a realization that all events (such as a person's experience of pain) happen necessarily and that embracing this necessity is the same as being free.

Background: Endometriosis is a chronic disease that affects about ten of a hundred fertile women and means a profound change and suffering for them. Endometriosis means that tissue from the endometrium ends up on other tissues and organs where it begins to grow, which leads to inflammation. Aim: The aim of the study is to shed light on women’s experience of living with endometriosis. Method: A literature-based study based on qualitative research to gain a deeper understanding of the phenomenon. Eight articles were analyzed and resulted in two main themes and six sub-themes. Results: The results are presented in two main themes Emotional stress, which describes how women live with pain and anxiety that affect relationships and self-esteem. New challenges, that describe all the challenges women face and how they are met and distrusted by healthcare professionals. Conclusion: Women living with endometriosis need adequate information as well as emotional and instrumental support. These needs can be met when the nurse takes responsibility for nursing and provides person-centered care. / Endometrios är ett smärtsamt sjukdomstillstånd och kan innebära svårt lidande för kvinnor somlever med sin diagnos. En av tio fertila kvinnor lider av endometrios vilket motsvarar ungefär 250 000 kvinnor i Sverige (Socialstyrelsen, 2018). Eftersom sjukdomstillståndet omges av okunskap är kvinnor som lever med endometrios en utsatt grupp. Sjuksköterskan ansvarar för att tillgodose patientens grundläggande omvårdnadsbehov. Hen ansvarar även för att främja och återställa hälsa samt lindra lidande. Därutöver är sjuksköterskan skyldig att utgå från den gemensamma värdegrund som återfinns i International Council of Nurses (ICN) etiska koder i mötet med kvinnor som lever med endometrios. Åtta artiklar med kvalitativ ansats söktes framför att belysa kvinnors upplevelse av att leva med endometrios. Det resulterade i två teman; Emotionella påfrestningar och Nya utmaningar. Temat Emotionella påfrestningar innehåller tre underteman som beskriver kvinnornas upplevelse av att leva med svår smärta. Smärtan bidrog till att de blev sängliggande under flera perioder samt svårigheter att ha ett fungerande sexualliv. De upplevde även rädsla och oro för att förlora både partner och arbete. Det fanns även oro för ekonomi på grund av många sjukskrivningar. Kvinnorna beskrev även att de fick en förändrad självbild på grund av att de inte kunde leva upp till partnerns förväntningar, exempelvis skaffa barn, vilket bidrog till för sämrat självförtroende. Temat Nya utmaningar innehåller tre underteman vilka beskriver kvinnornas upplevelse av att bemötas av misstro i vårdmöten. Det innebar att de ofta blev avfärdade och fick kämpa för att få en diagnos. Kvinnorna upplevde även att det fanns brist på kunskap i mötet med vården och det innebar att de själva fick söka sin kunskap. De beskrev även svårigheten av att inte kunna arbeta och delta i sociala aktiviteter på grund av smärta och sängläge. Resultatet av studien kan bidra till ökad kunskap kring kvinnors upplevelser av att leva med smärta samt deras upplevelse av bemötande i och utanför vården. Det kan även bidra till att sjuksköterskor får möjlighet till handlingsberedskap i mötet med dessa kvinnor. Resultatet skulle kunna vara relevant oavsett vilket i vårdsammanhang kvinnorna befinner sig.

Burnout due to work-related stress is increasing in the society. Many studies concern the causes and effects of burnout, but rarely concern the experiences of those who are living with burnout. The aim of this study was to examine the experience of living with burnout. The concepts of health, suffering, burnout, stress and coping are briefly described in the background. The method that was used is a literature-based study with the analysis of qualitative research. This study is based on eight qualitative articles. Six themes emerged; Physical experiences, Psychological experiences and Existential experiences, Work experiences, Experiences of relations in private life and Experiences of demands and expectations. The results shows that burnout affects a person on many different levels. Dealing with burnout involves a range of varieties of symtoms, physical as well as psychological and social. Physical symtoms that appeared among the participants were for instance fatigue, brain fog, headache and palpitations. Social and relational problems as bad conscience, low self- esteem and feelings of inadequacy were experienced. Emotional disturbances and existential reflections were common amongst those who were suffering from burnout.

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This collection of short stories explores the different ways in which women experience suffering. The narrative focuses on the daily lives of women who have undergone some type of heartbreak. While the stories occasionally include the incident which leads to despair, the collection is more concerned with the way women function after a personal tragedy. The stories show the grace of people who continue to move forward when their lives are filled with suffering. Sexuality enters the stories and exposes both the triumph and destructive nature of sexuality. A critical introduction which explains how complication and beauty amplify story proceeds the collection.

Background Endometriosis affects about one in ten women and is a chronic disease. The endometrium grows outside the uterus cavity and causes pain and suffering that leads to a reduced quality of life. Aim The aim of this study was to investigate women´s experience of pain when living with endo-metriosis. Method The method used was a qualitative integrative compilation inspired by meta-synthesis where nine qualitative articles were analyzed. Results In this study three main themes and six sub-themes emerged. These showed that pain, infertility, heavy and long periods as symptoms when diagnosed with endometriosis affects woman in her daily life. This contributes to lost function and isolation when it comes to social relationships, love life, work, studies and everyday life. Conclusion Women with endometriosis need to receive care based on their individual problems and meet healthcare professionals who has knowledge and competence regarding endometriosis. This to provide the best possible conditions to alleviate suffering for these women.