The liminal self in people with multiple sclerosis: an interpretative phenomenological exploration of being diagnosed

Aims and objectives To explore the lived experience of the meaning of being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis on the individual's sense of self. Background The time leading up to and immediately following the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis has been identified as a time period shrouded by uncertainty and one where individuals have a heightened desire to seek accurate information and support. The diagnosis brings changes to the way one views the self which has consequences for biographical construction. Design A hermeneutic phenomenological study. Methods In‐depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 10 people recently diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Findings This study presents the three master themes: the ‘road to diagnosis’, ‘the liminal self’ and ‘learning to live with multiple sclerosis’. The diagnosis of multiple sclerosis may be conceptualised as a ‘threshold moment’ where the individual's sense of self is disrupted from the former taken‐for‐granted way of being and propose a framework which articulates the transition. Conclusion The findings highlight the need for healthcare professionals to develop interventions to better support people affected by a new diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. The conceptual framework which has been developed from the data and presented in this study provides a new way of understanding the impact of the diagnosis on the individual's sense of self when affected by a new diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. This framework can guide healthcare professionals in the provision of supportive care around the time of diagnosis. Relevance for Clinical Practice The findings provide practitioners with a new way of understanding the impact of the diagnosis on the individual’s sense of self and a framework which can guide them in the provision of supportive care around the time of diagnosis.