THE ALIENATION OF THE SUFFERER

Suffering is a particularly human experience that often brings with it loneliness or alienation from others. The theory described in this ar ticle explains the mechanisms through which suffering affects an indiv idual's sense of community and connectedness with others. The intricat e patterns are explained to provide a basis for prescriptive nursing t o prevent or reverse this loss of connectedness. First, the article de velops the concept of suffering and its influences on relationship wit h the self and with others and the relationship of others with the suf ferer. Then, the concept of alienation is developed in this context, i ts philosophical roots explored, and a continuum described that encomp asses alienation through connectedness. Related concepts of separation , shame, and stigma are briefly described as partial cases of alienati on of the sufferer that also show the pervasiveness of the phenomenon. Next, the personal characteristics of an individual who might help ar e developed through the concept of wisdom. Last, an explanation is giv en as to why care is the contextual framework through which alienation is reversed and connectedness achieved. Although suffering, alienatio n, and care have gone by many names, the essences of these phenomena h ave been recurrent themes in descriptions of human response.