Living with an Autoimmune Disorder and the Cycle of Self-Sabotage: Flexing the Reflexivity Muscle as Participant-Researcher
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| Format: | Recurso digital |
| Language: | English |
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2026
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| _version_ | 1866901114349158400 |
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| author | Dr Sumeshni Govender |
| author_facet | Dr Sumeshni Govender |
| contents | <p><strong>Abstract:</strong> I turned sixteen, and my world turned on its head: it was the beginning of what would be the launch of a lifetime of complexity of physical ailments that would consistently plague me, challenging my previously active lifestyle. With it came mental health issues (not the typical teenage type), but those related to the burden of bearing a life-threatening physical illness. Whilst I was not aware of the nature and extent of the problem initially, it was not in my best interest to ignore it either, but that is how I chose to manage it. Ignoring the problem resulted in regular disruptions to my daily lifestyle and routine whenever I was ill. For decades, I chose to treat this bullet wound with a Band-Aid, and the bleeding refused to stop. This chapter examines the use of qualitative research and the implementation of reflexivity as a methodological tool to examine the nature and extent of the researcher’s lifestyle whilst living with an autoimmune disorder (systemic lupus erythematosus – SLE), the researcher’s self-sabotaging behaviour and the reflexivity associated with being both a participant and researcher during the research process. Reflexivity provides the researcher with the opportunity to explicitly describe the impact of a personal journey from their own perspective, discuss how physical ailments affect mental health and vice versa, and highlight the need for checks and balances in both our physical and emotional well-being to live a harmonious lifestyle. To conclude, the researcher will suggest lifestyle recommendations for others living with an autoimmune disorder, such as systemic lupus erythematosus.</p> <p><strong>Keywords:</strong> systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune disorders, mental health and well-being, self-sabotage, reflexivity</p> |
| format | Recurso digital |
| id | zenodo_https___doi_org_10_5281_zenodo_19164071 |
| institution | Zenodo |
| language | eng |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publisher | Zenodo |
| record_format | zenodo |
| spellingShingle | Living with an Autoimmune Disorder and the Cycle of Self-Sabotage: Flexing the Reflexivity Muscle as Participant-Researcher Dr Sumeshni Govender <p><strong>Abstract:</strong> I turned sixteen, and my world turned on its head: it was the beginning of what would be the launch of a lifetime of complexity of physical ailments that would consistently plague me, challenging my previously active lifestyle. With it came mental health issues (not the typical teenage type), but those related to the burden of bearing a life-threatening physical illness. Whilst I was not aware of the nature and extent of the problem initially, it was not in my best interest to ignore it either, but that is how I chose to manage it. Ignoring the problem resulted in regular disruptions to my daily lifestyle and routine whenever I was ill. For decades, I chose to treat this bullet wound with a Band-Aid, and the bleeding refused to stop. This chapter examines the use of qualitative research and the implementation of reflexivity as a methodological tool to examine the nature and extent of the researcher’s lifestyle whilst living with an autoimmune disorder (systemic lupus erythematosus – SLE), the researcher’s self-sabotaging behaviour and the reflexivity associated with being both a participant and researcher during the research process. Reflexivity provides the researcher with the opportunity to explicitly describe the impact of a personal journey from their own perspective, discuss how physical ailments affect mental health and vice versa, and highlight the need for checks and balances in both our physical and emotional well-being to live a harmonious lifestyle. To conclude, the researcher will suggest lifestyle recommendations for others living with an autoimmune disorder, such as systemic lupus erythematosus.</p> <p><strong>Keywords:</strong> systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune disorders, mental health and well-being, self-sabotage, reflexivity</p> |
| title | Living with an Autoimmune Disorder and the Cycle of Self-Sabotage: Flexing the Reflexivity Muscle as Participant-Researcher |
| url | https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19164071 |