The Sick Role

Day after day somebody develops a sickness. Whether it is a common cold or a chronic illness, everybody plays the sick role. The sick role refers to societal expectations about the attitudes and behaviors of a person viewed a being ill. (Schaefer) When people are sick the do not have to go to work or school, they do not have to tend to their normal duties, and they are allowed to stay in all day.

For many people it is hard to play the sick role. They do not want to believe that they are sick, or that they have to stop doing their normal tasks. They often try to push past their sickness and deny that it is happening to them. However, this can be harmful to ones body. When someone pretends like they are not sick, they may worsen the situation. The sickness that is overlooked can develop even more because the person is using all of their strength that they have. Instead they should be resting and recharging their energy.

On the other hand, many people become "babies" when they are sick. It has been reported that men often become helpless when they are sick. When there are signs of the slightest sickness, they go to the doctor or local drug store to get medication to make them feel better. The often play the sick role and become exempt from all their jobs. However, men are not the only ones that play into the sick role. Women too become "babies" when they are sick. The call off work or school and stay in to sleep on the couch.

When one becomes sick, they try to make a recovery as soon as possible. However this is not a reality for some people. People who suffer from chronic illness usually have to deal with their sickness on a daily basis. Sometimes it is hard to function because of their chronic illness, but many get used to the symptoms that come along with the illness.

Sometimes when people get sick they can fall into a depressed state. Because they cannot get over their sickness or maybe it is chronic and they never will, their mood can drop. The often feel a state of helplessness and lethargy, and they may not even want to get better. These people have to struggle through their sickness with depression on top of it. It is often difficult, and they usually must seek medical attention to get over both of their sicknesses.

Illness often come at the wrong time for everyone, but we eventually get through them. To get through them we play the sick role so we can cope with the sickness. It usually is a struggle but soon enough we will feel better.