The Transition from Well Person to “Pain Afflicted” Patient: The Career of People with Chronic Back Pain

This article aims to show how people with chronic back pain manage the status passage from being well persons to becoming “pain afflicted” patients and how they see their own progression through the pain career path. This is examined through in-depth narrative interviews. The data were processed through thematic analysis. It was found that during the transition, a change in perceived identity occurs and that people grieve over the loss of their former selves, their future, social relationships, and occupational careers. The article also reflects on the value of narratives in revealing transformations over time. This technique is intended to capture evolving self-understandings of personal identity as persons negotiate the path through complex and critical life events.